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A BRIEF VIEW 



OF THE 



DOCTRINES 



OF THE 



CHRISTIAN RELIGION, 



AS PROFESSED BY THE 



SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, 



IN THE FORM OF QUESTION AND ANSWER, FOR THE 
INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH. 



I 7 J ' 



BY JOHN BEVANS. 



v 



Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; and let us con- 
sider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works. Heb. x. 23. -24. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

PRINTED BY JOSEPH RAKESTRAW. 
1843. 




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PREFACE. 



Experience has proved that, in the present consti- 
tution of our nature, the human mind, without proper 
cultivation, is more likely to be productive of noxious 
weeds, than of those fruits which evince love to God 
and benevolence to man; hence the Scriptures enjoin 
that children should be brought up in the nurture and 
admonition of the Lord; and the apostle Paul speaks 
in commendation of Eunice, the mother of Timothy, 
who, it appears, had instilled into his youthful mind, 
that knowledge which makes "wise unto salvation, 
through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 

The author hopes that those parents or tutors who 
are thus endeavouring to enlarge the kingdom of the 
Redeemer among men, may derive some assistance 
from this little work. In compiling it, although his 
primary object has been the instruction of youth, yet 
his views have not been confined to this class ; for 
(whatever deficiencies may appear in the following 
attempt to illustrate the truths of the Gospel,) Chris- 
tian Redemption is a subject peculiarly interesting to 
all, because it embraces our most important interests 



iv PREFACE. 

in time, and in eternity. Indeed, whether we consi- 
der the unfathomable love wherein it originated, or 
the height of happiness to which it is designed to 
raise fallen, degenerate man, it demands of us every 
sentiment of gratitude, adoration and praise, to an 
all-wise Creator, who is called, and whose nature is, 
Love. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

Sect. 1. Happiness the principal object pursued by mankind ; 
how it is to be attained. § 2. Of the Deity. — Proofs of his ex- 
istence. — He reveals himself to man by his Holy Spirit, and also 
by the Holy Scriptures. § 3. The Scripture account of the 
creation of the world. — Of the creation of irrational animals, 
and lastly of man. § 4. Adam's fall from the image of God in 
which he was created. — Its effects upon himself and his poste- 
rity. 5 5. God has compassion on fallen man, and provides a 
Saviour to restore him. — Jesus Christ is this Saviour. § 6. That 
God did, previously to the coming of Christ, reveal his will to 
man, 1st. By the Patriarchs : 2ndly. By the Law : 3dly. By the 
Prophets : also universally by the Spirit of Christ. § 7. Of the 
Patriarchs — Abraham leaves his native country in obedience to 
a Divine command — His faith in the promises of God — On the 
fulfilment of these promises. Page 9 — 31. 

CHAPTER II. 

Sect. 1. God reveals himself to the children of Abraham, 
particularly to Moses. § 2. Of the revelation of the Divine 
will to Moses. — Of the law given by Moses to the Israelites. 



6 CONTENTS. 

5 3. The Mosaic Law considered, 1st. As political ; its exclu- 
sive application to the Israelites as a nation : 2ndly. As cere- 
monial ; which is typical or figurative of the mediatorial work 
and office of the . Messiah : 3dly. As moral ; this part of the 
Law stated as set forth in the Ten Commandments — and con- 
tinues of universal obligation at the present day. — Of the Chris- 
tian Sabbath. — Of the substance of the Law as expressed by 
Christ and his apostles. — Of man's ability to keep the command- 
ments of God. 5 4. Of the prophets subsequent to Moses. — 
Moses and the prophets foretell the coming of Christ.— Isaiah's 
description of the person and mediatorial office of Christ. 

Page 32—49. 



CHAPTER III. 

Sect 1. The prophecies concerning Christ fulfilled. He 
assumes human nature, becomes our Atonement or Mediator — 
triumphs over sin by offering up his life as a sacrifice for sin, 
and by his subsequent resurrection — All men partake of the 
benefit of Christ's death. § 2. Christ offers himself to mankind 
as a Saviour from sin, by his spirit, by the Scriptures, and by 
his servants. Faith, what it is— The New Birth necessary to 
Salvation. § 3. Of Repentance — Forgiveness of sins or Justifi- 
cation — Sanctification or justification to be experienced only 
through the righteousness of Christ. — Victory over sin — Perfec- 
tion or freedom from sin — Possibility of falling away from a 
state of grace. § 4. Faith made manifest by good works — Of 
good works, what they are — Faith and works inseparable, and 
necessary to Justification, but not the cause of it — this to be as- 
cribed to the New Birth — Of Perseverance. § 5. The differ- 
ence between the spiritually-minded man and the carnally- 
minded man — Their respective prospects after death — The day 
of Judgment. Page 50 — 84. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Sect. 1. The nature of true Worship — the public worship of 
God a duty — the advantages that result from it — Prayer and 
praise a part of Divine worship — their nature. § 2. The quali- 
fications of a gospel minister — the benefits attendant on a gos- 
pel ministry. § 3. Of the Baptism of Christ — Of Water Bap- 
tism — the latter not enjoined by Christ — the practice of the 
apostles on this subject considered. § 4. The nature of the 
Supper which Christ ate with his disciples the night before his 
crucifixion — reasons for considering the celebration of it as not 
now obligatory. — The Supper of the Lord, of which Christians 
partake, inward and spiritual. Page 85 — 110. 



A BRIEF VIEW, &c. 

CHAPTER I. 
SECTION I. 

1st Question — What is the principal object 
sought after by mankind ? 

Answer — Happiness : all their pursuits, how- 
ever various, may be traced to it as to a cen- 
tral point. 

2nd. Q. — How is true happiness to be at- 
tained ? 

A.— True happiness is only to be found in 
loving God, fearing to offend him, and obeying 
his commands. 

Psal. xxxiv. 9. O fear the Lord, ye his saints; for there 
is no want to them that fear him. 10. The young lions 
do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord 
shall not want any good thing. 

Psal. cxxviii. 1. Blessed is every one that feareth the 
Lord, that walketh in his ways. 2. Happy shalt thou be, 
and it shall be well with thee* 

Rom. viii. 28. And we know that all things work to- 
gether for good to them that love God. 

1 Cor. ii. 9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
have entered into the heart of man, the things that God 
hath prepared for them that love him. 10. But God hath 
revealed them to us by his Spirit. 

SECTION II. 

3d. Q.— Who is God ? 



10 BEVANS' VIEW. 

A — God is the infinite, eternal, and invisible 
Being or Spirit, who created and who upholds 
all things. 

John iv. 24. God is a Spirit. 

Psalm xc. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, 
or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even 
from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. 

Jer. xxiii. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places 
that I shall not see him? do not I fill heaven and the 
earth? saith the Lord. 

Psal. cxxxix. 7. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or 
whither shall I flee from thy presence ? 8. If I ascend up 
into heaven, thou art there. 9. If I take the wings of the 
morning and dwell in the utmost part of the sea; 10. 
Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand 
shall hold me. 11. If I say, surely the darkness shall 
cover me : even the night shall be light about me. 12. 
Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night 
shineth as the day : the darkness and the light are both 
alike to thee. 

Heb. iii. 4. He that built all things is God. 

Heb. i. 3. Upholding all things by the Word of his 
power. 

4th Q. — Is it not true that there is but one 
God? 

A. — Certainly ; for though there are the Fa- 
ther, Word or Son, and Holy Spirit, these three 
are one God. # 



* This belief of the Father, Son, and Spirit, is usually called 
the Doctrine of the Trinity, which has been variously explained 
•by the professors of Christianity, but we think it safest to adhere 
as much as possible to the guarded manner in which the sacred 
writers have treated this mysterious subject ; as it necessarily 
extends into a depth unfathomable by the limited understanding 
of man, for "Canst thou by searching find out God] Canst thou 
find out the Almighty to perfection." Job xi. 7. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 11 

Deut. iv. 35. The Lord, he is God, there is none else 
besides him. 

John i. 1. The Word was God. 18. No man hath 
seen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in 
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 

John x. 30. I and my Father are one. 

John xiv. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my 
words : and my Father will love him, and we will come 
unto him, and make our abode with him. 26. But the 
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. 

John xv. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom 
I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of 
Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify 
of me. 

Matt, xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost. 

Gal. iv. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son 
into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 

2 Cor. xiii*. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy 
Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 

5th Q. — What are the proofs we have of the 
existence of a God? 

A. — They are of two sorts, 1st. The works 
of creation. 2ndly. The revelation God has 
made of himself to man. 

6th Q. — What are the proofs derived from 
creation ? 

A. — They are innumerable: the earth we 
live upon abounds with them; which, with the 
sun, the moon and the stars, and the various 
revolutions in the planetary system, proclaims 
the existence of an all-wise, all-powerful Being, 



12 BEVANS' VIEW. 

by whom they must have been created, and by 
whose power they continue to be upheld. Thus 
when we see a house, we are certain that it 
could not have made or built itself, but must 
have been the work of some man ; so when we 
behold things indicative of design that far ex- 
ceed the ability of man, we reasonably attribute 
them to a Superior Power. 

Psalm civ. 24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! 
in wisdom hast thou made them all : the earth is full of 
thy riches. 

Psal. xix. 1. The heavens declare the glory of God; 
and the firmament showeth his handy work. 2. Day 
unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth 
knowledge. 3. There is no speech nor language where 
their voice is not heard. 

Acts xiv. 17. He left not himself without witness, in 
that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruit- 
ful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 

Rom. i. 20. The invisible things of Him from the 
creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood 
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and 
Godhead. 

Psal. cxxxix. 14. I will praise thee, for I am fearfully 
and wonderfully made ; marvellous are thy works, and that 
my soul knoweth right well. 

7th Q. — How does God reveal himself to 
man? 

A. — By his Holy Spirit, which checks us 
when we incline to do evil, and incites and en- 
courages us to do good. # 



* " How often," says the pious Grove, " are good thoughts 
suggested, heavenly affections kindled and inflamed ! How often 
is the 'Christian prompted to holy actions, drawn to his duty, re- 



BEVANS' VIEW. 13 

Deut. xxx. 11. For this commandment which I com- 
mand thee this day, is not hidden from thee, neither is it 
far off. 14. But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy 
mouth and in thy heart, that thou mayst do it. 

Neh. ix. 20. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to in- 
struct them. 

Rom. ii. 14. When the Gentiles, which have not the 
law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, 
having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15. 
Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, 
their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts 
the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing, one another. 

Rom. x. 6. But the righteousness which is of faith 
speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, who shall 
ascend into heaven ? (that is, to bring Christ down from 
above :) 7. Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is, 
to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8. But what 
saith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and 
in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which we preach. 

8th Q. — Has not God also revealed his will 
to man by the Holy Scriptures ? 

A. — Yes, inasmuch as they were written for 
the instruction of mankind by men inspired of 
God. 

2 Tim. iii. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of 



stored, quickened, persuaded, in such a manner, that he would 
be unjust to the Spirit of God, to question his agency in the 
whole ! Yes, O my soul ! there is a Supreme Being, who go- 
verns the world, and is present with it ; who takes up his more 
special habitation in good men, and is nigh to all who call upon 
Him, to sanctify and assist them ! Hast thou not felt Him, O 
my soul ! like another soul, actuating thy faculties, exalting thy 
views, purifying thy passions, exciting thy graces, and begetting 
in thee an abhorrence of sin and a love of holiness] And is not 
all this an argument of his presence, as truly as if thou didst 
see him ?*' Hints on Regeneration, by Richard Phillips, second 
edition, p. 41. 

2 



14 BEVANS' VIEW. 

God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
tion, for instruction in righteousness. 

Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever things were written afore- 
time were written for our learning, that we through pa- 
tience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. 

2 Pet. i. 21. For the prophecy came not in old time 
by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they 
were moved by the Holy Ghost. 

John xv. 15. All things that I have heard of my Fa- 
ther, I have made known unto you. 16. I have chosen 
you and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth 
fruit, and that your fruit should remain. 27. And ye also 
shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from 
the beginning. 

1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the 
ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 

1 John i. 1. That which was from the beginning, 
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, 
which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled 
of the word of life; 2. (For the life was manifested, and 
we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that 
eternal life which was with the Father, and was mani- 
fested unto us ;) 3. That which we have seen and heard 
declare we unto you. 

9th Q. — What do the Holy Scriptures de- 
clare of God ? 

A. — That he is the Creator of all things, and 
perfect in power, wisdom and holiness; that he 
abhors sin : that he is the fountain of every 
thing lovely, yea, that he is love itself. That 
he dispenses his goodness to all his creatures 
according to their capacities, and willeth not 
the destruction of sinners, but that they should 
return to him, repent and live. 

1 Chron. xxix. 11. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, 
and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the 



BEVANS' VIEW. 15 

majesty ; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is 
thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted 
as head above all. 

Exod. xv. 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious 
in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders ? 

Rev. iv. 8. And they rest not day and night, saying, 
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, 
and is to come. 

Exod. xxxiv. 6. And the Lord passed before him, and 
proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- 
cious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. 
7. Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and 
transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the 
guilty. 

Psal. v. 4. Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in 
wickedness ; neither shall evil dwell with thee. 5. The 
foolish shall not stand in thy sight : thou hatest all work- 
ers of iniquity. 

1 John iv. 7. Beloved, let us love one another ; for 
love is of God ; and every one that loveth, is born of God, 
and knoweth God. 8. He that loveth not, knoweth not 
God ; for God is love. 

Psal. xxxiii. 5. The earth is full of the goodness of 
the Lord. 

Psal. cvii. 8. Oh that men would praise the Lord for 
his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children 
of men ! 9. For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth 
the hungry soul with goodness. 

Matt. v. 45. He maketh his sun to rise on the evil 
and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the 
unjust. 

Isai. Iv. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the 
unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto 
the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our 
God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Ezek. xxxiii. 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I 
have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but that the 
wicked turn from his way and live. 

2 Pet. iii. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his 
promise, as some men count slackness ; but is long. suffer- 
ing to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that 
all should come to repentance. 



16 BEVANS' VIEW. 



SECTION III. 



10th Q. — How do the Scriptures describe 
the creation ? 

A. — They inform us that God created the 
heavens and the earth, the sea, and all things 
that are therein, whether animate or inanimate, 
by the Word of his power. 

Gen. i. 1. In the beginning God created the heaven 
and the earth. 

Neh. ix. 6. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou 
hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their 
host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, 
and ail that is therein, and thou preservest them all. 

Psal. xxxiii. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the 
heavens made : and all the host of them by the breath of 
his mouth. 

Heb. xi. 3. The worlds were framed by the Word of 
God, so that things which are seen were not made of 
things which do appear. 

1 lth Q. — Do not the Scriptures describe the 
creation of man as differing in its manner from 
that of other creatures ? 

A. — The irrational animals Avere created by 
the divine Word calling them into existence, 
but the language of the Almighty previously 
to the creation of Adam, was, "Let us make 
man in our image, after our likeness:" then we 
are informed that he created man in his own 
image, even in the image of God. 

Gen. i. 24. And God said, Let the earth bring forth 
the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping 
thing, and beast of the earth after his kind : and it was 



BEVANS' VIEW. 17 

so. 26. And God said, Let us make man in our image, 
after our likeness. 27. So God created man in his own 
image, in the image of God created he him. 

12th Q. — What is to be understood by the 
image of God in man ? 

A. — A breath of life which was breathed 
into him by God, by which he was made a par- 
taker of the divine nature, and had union and 
communion with God. 

Gen. ii. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust 
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath 
of life ; and man became a living soul. 

2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all, with open face beholding 
as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the 
same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of 
the Lord. 

Eph. iv, 24. And that ye put on the new man, which 
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Col. iii. 10. And [ye] have put on the new man, which 
is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that 
created him. 

2 Pet. i. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding 
great and precious promises ; that by these ye might be 
partakers of the divine nature. 

1 John i. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, 
and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

13th Q. — Did Adam remain alone? 

A. — No, the Lord saw that it was not good 
that he should be alone, and therefore formed 
a woman to be an help meet for him, whom 
Adam called Eve, and God gave them domin- 
ion over all the creatures. 

Gen. ii. 18. And the Lord God said, It is not good 
that man should be alone ; I will make an help meet for 



18 BEVANS* VIEW. 

him. 21. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall 
upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and 
closed up the flesh instead thereof. 22. And the rib, 
which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a wo- 
man, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam 
said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: 
she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of 
man. See also 1 Cor. xi. 8. 

Gen. iii. 20. And Adam called his wife's name Eve ; 
because she was the mother of all living. 

Gen. i. 28. God said unto them, Have dominion over 
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over 
every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 

14th Q. — Where did Adam and Eve dwell? 

A. — In a garden eastward in Eden; in which 
grew every tree that is pleasant to the sight 
and good for food, and in the midst of the gar- 
den grew the tree of life, and the tree of know- 
ledge of good and evil. 

Gen. ii. 8. And the Lord God planted a garden east- 
ward in Eden ; and there he put the man whom he had 
formed. 9. And out of the ground made the Lord God 
to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good 
for food ; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, 
and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 



SECTION IV. 

15th Q. — Did Adam evince his love and 
gratitude to his Creator for all these blessings? 

A. — No, for though the Almighty allowed 
him freely to eat of every tree of the garden 
in which he was placed, except the tree of 
knowledge of good and evil, of which God for- 



BEVANS* VIEW. 19 

bade him to eat, saying, that on the day he ate 
of it he should surely die, yet notwithstanding 
this injunction he did eat of it. 

Gen. ii. 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, 
saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely 
eat ; 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and 
evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest 
thereof thou shalt surely die. 

See also the proofs to the two next Answers. 

16th Q. — What induced Adam to eat the 
forbidden fruit ? 

A. — The serpent or devil tempted Eve, and 
she took of the fruit and did eat, and she gave 
to Adam, and he also ate thereof. 

Gen. iii. 4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Yo 
shall not surely die: 5. For God doth know, that, in the 
day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened ; and 
ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6. And 
when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and 
that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired 
to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did 
eat ; and gave also unto her husband with her ; and he 
did eat. 

John viii. 44. He [the devil] was a murderer from the 
beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no 
truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of 
his own : for he is a liar, and the father of it. 

1 John iii. 8. He that committeth sin, is of the devil; 
for the devil sinneth from the beginning. 

Rev. xii. 9. And the great dragon was east out, that 
old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth 
the whole world. 

17th Q. — Did Adam and Eve die in the day 
they ate of the forbidden fruit ? 



20 BEVAJVS* VIEW. 

A. — They did not cease to exist as crea- 
tures, but they died to that spiritual life or di- 
vine image in which thev had communion with 
God. 

Rom. vi. 23. The wages of sin is death. 

Rom. v. 12. By one man sin entered into the world, 
and death by sin. 

Rom. viii. 6. To be carnally minded is death ; but to 
be spiritually minded is life and peace : 7. Because the 
carnal mind is enmity against God. 

James i. 15. When lust hath conceived, it bringeth 
forth sin : and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

John v. 24. He that heareth my word, and believeth 

on him that sent me, is passed from death unto life. 

25. The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall 
hear the voice of the Son of God ; and they that hear 
shall live. 

Epb. ii. 1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead 
in trespasses and sins. 

Eph. v. 14. Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from 
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 

1 Tim. v. 6. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead 
while she liveth. 

1 John iii. 14. We know that we have passed from 
death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that 
loveth not his brother, abideth in death. 

Rev. iii. 1. I know thy works, that thou hast a name 
that thou livest, and art dead.* 

18th Q. — What were the consequences of 
this spiritual death to our first parents ? 

A. — They lost the righteousness and purity, 
the love, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit, 

* Though most of these texts may not appear to apply person- 
ally to Adam, they prove that the death which is the consequenc e 
of sin, which Adam's was, is a death of a deeper import than 
merely that of the body. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 21 

which were the fruits of the divine image in 
which they were created, and were brought 
under the dominion of the evil inclinations 
which have ever since abounded in the world, 
and, having yielded themselves to the power of 
sin, they became liable to temporal death and 
eternal misery. 

See the proofs to the 20th Answer. 

19th Q. — Has the earth suffered any change 
in consequence of the fall of man? 

A. — The ground was cursed in consequence 
of it, so that it produces thorns and thistles, 
and man was turned out of the garden of Eden, 
and is doomed to till the ground, and with sor- 
row to eat of the fruit of it, to the day of his 
death, when his body is to return to the dust 
whence it was taken. 

Gen. iii. 17. And unto Adam he [God] said, Because 
thou hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, 
saying, Thou shalt not eat of it ; cursed is the ground for 
thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of 
thy life. 18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth 
to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. 19. In 
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return 
unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken ; for dust 
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 23. Therefore 
the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to 
till the ground from whence he was taken. 

20th Q — Are all mankind involved in the 
effects of Adam's disobedience ? 

A. — Yes, for as Adam had effaced the di- 
vine image in himself, and become wholly de- 



22 BEVANS* VIEW. 

generate, so his children can have no good 
thing as belonging to their nature, which he 
from whom they derive their common nature, 
had not to communicate.* 

Gen. vi. 5. And God saw that every imagination of 
the thoughts of his [man's] heart was only evil con- 
tinually. 

Jer. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful ahove all things, 
and desperately wicked ; who can know it? 

Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; 
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can 
be. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please 
God. 

1 Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things 
of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him : 
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually 
discerned. 

Matt. xv. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, 
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blas- 
phemies. 

1 John ii. 15. If any man love the world, the love of 
the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the 
world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and 
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

Gen. v. 3. And Adam begat a son in his own likeness, 
after his image. 

Job xiv. 1. Man that is born of a woman, is of Cew 
days, and full of trouble. 2. He cometh forth like a 



* It may be proper to observe, that we do not hereby impute 
any guilt to infants ; because as the Scripture says, Rom. iv. 15. 
" Where no law is, there is no transgression." Also, Rom. v. 13. 
"But sin is not imputed, when there is no law." Nevertheless, 
as " a seed of sin is transmitted to all men from Adam, called 
death in the Scriptures, and the body of death, seeing it is in- 
deed a death to the life of righteousness and holiness;" "they 
[infants] have need of Christ as a Saviour, who died for them, 
to deliver them from this." Barclay's Apology, 8th edit. Prop, 
iv. 5 4. p. 104. 5 5. p. 107 and 108. Barclay's Works, fol. edit, 
p. 771. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 23 

flower, and is cut down : he fleeth also as a shadow, and 
continueth not. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of 
an unclean ? not one. 

Psal. li. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity ; and in 
sin did my mother conceive me. 

John iii. 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. 

Gal. v. 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, 
which are these ; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, las- 
civiousness, 20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, 
emulations, w T rath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, 
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the 
which I tell you, that they which do such things shall not 
inherit the kingdom of God. 

Eph. ii» 2. Wherein in time past ye w T alked according 
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the 
power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the chil- 
dren of disobedience. 3. Amongst whom also we all had 
our conversation in times past, in the lusts of the flesh, 
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and 
were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 

1 Cor. xv. 22. In Adam all die. 

Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered 
into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed on 
all men, for that all have sinned. 18. By the offence of 
one judgment came upon all men to condemnation. 19. 
By one man's disobedience many were made sinners. 

Rom. iii. 9. We have before proved both Jews and 
Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10. As it is writ- 
ten, There is none righteous, no, not one : 11. There is 
none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after 
God. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are 
together become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth 
good, no, not one. 16. Destruction and misery are in 
their ways: 17. And the way of peace have they not 
known. 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes. 

Gen. viii. 21. The imagination of man's heart is evil 
from his youth. 

1 John v. 19. The whole world lieth in wickedness. 

Gal. iii. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin. 



24 BEVANS' VIEW. 

SECTION V. 

21st Q. — Are mankind left to perish in this 
state of alienation ? 

A. — No, God had compassion on fallen man, 
and in unmerited mercy provided a Saviour to 
restore to man the image of God, which Adam 
by disobedience, had lost. 

See the proofs to the next Answer. 

22nd Q. — Who is this Saviour? 

A. — Jesus Christ, the Word and Son of God; 
who is also called the seed of the woman, which 
was to bruise the head of the serpent, or devil, 
that had beguiled Eve. 



& 



John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave his 
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. See also 1 John iv. 
9, 10. 

Rom. v. 8. But God commendeth his love towards us, 
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Eph. ii. 4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his 
great love wherewith he loved us, 5. Even when we 
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, 
(by grace ye are saved.) 

Mark i. 1. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ 
the Son of God. 

John iv. 42. This is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of 
the world. 

Luke ii. 11. Unto you is born this day, a Saviour, 
which is Christ the Lord. 

Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and 
the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall 
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 25 

Acts xiii. 23. Of this man's [David's] seed hath God, 
according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, 
Jesus. 

23d Q.— Why is Christ called the seed of 
the woman ? 

A. — Because he became man by being born 
of a woman who was a virgin. 

Matt. i. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on 
this wise: When, as his mother Mary was espoused to 
Joseph, before they came together, she was found with 
child of the Holy Ghost. 20. Behold, the angel of the 
Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou 
son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife ; 
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 
21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call 
his name Jesus : for he shall save his people from their 
sins. 

Luke i. 31. Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bring forth 
a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 34. Then said 
Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know 
not a man 1 35. And the angel answered and said unto 
her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power 
of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that 
holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the 
Son of God. 

Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulness of time was come, 
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman. 

24th Q. — How did Christ bruise the serpent's 
head? 

A. — By his triumph over sin and the devil, 
the author of it. 

See the Proofs to the 49th, 50th and 51st Answers. 

25th Q.— If Christ be the Word and Son of 



26 BEVANS' VIEW. 

God, and also the seed of the woman, is he not 
both God and man ? 

A. — Yes, for it was the Eternal Word, who 
is also God, by whom all things. were created, 
that took upon him our nature. 

John i. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the 
Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3. All 
things were made by him ; and without him was not any- 
thing made that was made. 10. He was in the world, 
and the world was made by him, and the world knew him 
not. 14. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among 
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only be- 
gotten of the Father) full of grace and truth. 

Matt. i. 23. And they shall call his name Emmanuel, 
which, being interpreted, is, God with us. 

John x. 30. I and my Father are one. 33. And the 
Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone 
thee not ; but for blasphemy ; and because that thou, being 
a man, makest thyself God. 

John xx. 28. And Thomas answered and said unto 
him, My Lord, and my God. 

Rom. ix. 5. Whose are the fathers, and of whom as 
concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God 
blessed for ever. 

Eph. iii. 9. And to make all men see what is the fel- 
lowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the 
world hath been hid in God, who created all things by 
Jesus Christ. 

Phil. ii. 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it 
not robbery to be equal with God : 7. But made himself 
of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, 
and was made in the likeness of men. 

Col. ii. 9. In him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of 
the Godhead bodily. 

Col. i. 16. For by him were all things created, that 
are in heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and in- 
visible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or princi- 
palities, or powers; all things were created by him, and 
for him. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 27 

1 Tim. iii. 16. And without controversy great is the 
mystery of godliness : God was manifest in the flesh, jus- 
tified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gen- 
tiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 

Heb. i. 2. [God] hath in these last days spoken unto 
us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, 
by whom also he made the worlds ; 3. Who being the 
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his per- 
son, and upholding all things by the Word of his power, 
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the 
right hand of the majesty on high. 5. For unto which 
of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this 
day have I begotten thee ? 8. But unto the Son he saith, 
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever ; a sceptre of 
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 

Heb. ii. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature 
of angels ; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 

Heb. xiii. 8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, 
and for ever. 

26th Q. — How long was it after the fall of 
Adam, before Christ took upon him our nature? 

A. — About four thousand years. 



SECTION VI. 

27th Q. — How did God, during this period, 
reveal his will to mankind ? 

A. — In various ways. 1st. By the Patri- 
archs; 2dly. By the Law; 3dly. By the Pro- 
phets: and universally by the redeeming and 
reconciling Spirit and power of Christ, which 
began to work in the hearts of men immedi- 
ately after the fall. 

See the Proofs to the following Answers. 



28 BEVANS' VIEW. 

SECTION VII. 

28th Q. — Who were the Patriarchs? 

A. — A Patriarch was the father of a large 
family or nation, who, in the early ages of the 
world, governed them by virtue of his paternal 
authority: the Patriarchs of whom we arc 
speaking, were good men who feared and loved 
God and obeyed his commands; such were 
Seth and Enoch; such also was Noah, who, 
with his family, was saved from the deluge or 
flood, by which all the rest of the world were 
destroyed for their great wickedness, and dis- 
regard to the warning of God. 

Gen. v. 24. And Enoch walked with God, and he was 
not ; for God took him. 

Heb. xi. 5. By faith Enoch was translated that he 
should not see death ; and was not found, because God 
had translated him ; for before his translation he had this 
testimony, that he pleased God. 

Jude 14. And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophe- 
sied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten 
thousands of his saints, 15. To execute judgment upon 
all, &c. 

Gen. vi. 9. Noah was a just, man, and perfect in his 
generations, and Noah walked with God. 13. And God 
said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; 
for the earth is filled with violence through them ; and, 
behold, I will destroy them with the earth. * 

2 Pet. ii. 5. And [God] spared not the old world, but 
saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteous- 
ness; bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. 

29th Q. — Are these all the Patriarchs that 
are mentioned in the Scriptures ? 



BEVANS* VIEW. 29 

A — No, there are others mentioned, particu- 
larly Abraham, who, in obedience to the divine 
command, left his native country and sojourned 
in the land of Canaan, and, by his faith in the 
promises of God, obtained the appellation of 
the father of the faithful, and the friend of God. 

Gen. xii. 1. Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get 
thee out of thy country? and from thy kindred, and from 
thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee. 4. 
So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; 
and Lot went with him. 5. And into the land of Canaan 
they came. 7. And there buiided he an altar unto the 
Lord, who appeared unto him. 

Gen. xv. 6.- And he believed in the Lord ; and he 
counted it to him for righteousness. 

Rom. iv. 11. And he [Abraham] received the sign of 
circumcision; a seal of the righteousness of the faith which 
he had, yet being uncircumcised : that he might be the 
father of all them that believe, though they be not cir- 
cumcised ; that righteousness might be imputed unto them 
also. 12. And the father of circumcision to them who 
are not of the circumcision only, but also walk in the 
steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had, 
being yet uncircumcised. 16. Therefore it is of faith, 
that it might be by grace ; to the end the promise might 
be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the 
law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, 
who is the father of us all. 

Jam. ii. 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which 
saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of 
God. See also Isaiah xli. 8. . 

30th Q. — What were the promises of God 
to Abraham ? 



A. — He promised to make Abraham the fa- 
ther of a great nation, and that his children 

3 



30 BEVANS' VIEW* 

should possess that land in which he sojourned 
as a stranger: and further, that in his seed all 
the nations of the earth should be blessed. 

Gen. xii. 2. I will bless thee, and thou shalt be a 
blessing. 3. And in thee shall all families of the earth 
be blessed. 

Gen. xvii. 6. I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and 
I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of 
thee. 8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after 
thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of 
Canaan. 

Gen. xxii. 16. By myself have I sworn, saith the 
Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only son ; [Isaac, whom he was 
going to offer as a sacrifice by the command of God] 
17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying 
I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as 
the sand which is upon the sea-shore ; and thy seed shall 
possess the gate of his enemies; 18. And in thy seed 
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed ; because thou 
hast obeyed my voice. 

31st Q. — Were these promises to Abraham 
fulfilled ? 

A. — Yes : from his son Isaac, came the Is- 
raelites, who were a great nation, and possessed 
the land promised to Abraham; and Jesus 
Christ, the Saviour of mankind, in whom all 
the nations of the earth are blessed, is of the 
seed of Abraham after the flesh. 

Deut. x. 22. The Lord thy God hath made ihee as 
the stars of heaven for multitude. 

Joshua xxi. 43. And the Lord gave unto Israel all the 
land which he sware unto their fathers ; and they pos- 
sessed it, and dwelt therein. 44. And the Lord gave 
them rest round about, according to all that he sware 






BEVAIVS' V1EW5 31 

unto their fathers. 45. There failed not aught of any- 
good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of 
Israel : all came to pass. 

Acts iii. 25. Ye are the children of the prophets, and 
of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying 
unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of 
the earth be blessed. 26. Unto you first, God, having 
raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning 
away every one of you from his iniquities. 

Gal. iii. 8. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God 
would justify the heathen through faith, preached before 
the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations 
be blessed. 9. So then they which be of faith, are blessed 
with faithful Abraham. 13. Christ hath redeemed us 
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. 
14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the 
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the 
promise of the Spirit through faith. 16. Now to Abra- 
ham and his seed were the promises*made. He saith not, 
And to seeds, as of many; but as of one., And to thy seed, 
which is Christ. 



32 EEVAtfs' view- 



CHAPTER II. 
SECTION L 

32d Q.— Did God reveal himself to the chil- 
dren of Abraham? 

A. — s He did to Isaac, also to Jacob, other- 
wise called Israel : but the most remarkable 
revelation of the divine will to the descendants 
of Abraham, was through Moses, whom God 
appointed to be the legislator of the Israelites. 

Gen. xxvi. 2. And the Lord appeared unto him [Isaac] 
and said, Go not down into Egypt : 3. Sojourn in this 
land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto 
thee and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and 
I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy 
father; 4. And I will make thy seed to multiply as the 
stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these 
countries ; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the 
earth be blessed. 

Gen. xxviii. 10. And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, 
and went toward Haran. 11. And he lighted upon a cer- 
tain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun 
was set ; and lay down in that place to sleep. 12. And 
he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth, and 
the top of it reached to heaven. 13. And behold, the 
Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abra- 
ham thy father, and the God of Isaac ; the land whereon 
thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 14. And 
in thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth 
be blessed. 

Gen. xxxv. 9. And God appeared unto Jacob again, 
when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him. 10. 
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob ; thy name 
shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy 
name ; and he called his name Israel. 



BE VANS* VIEW. 33 

Exod. iii. 1. Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his 
father-in-law. 2. And the angel of the Lord appeared 
unto him in a flame of fire, out of the midst of a bush. 
4. And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, 
and said, Moses, Moses. 7. I have surely seen the afflic- 
tion of my people which are in Egypt. 8. And I am 
come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyp- 
tians, and to bring them up out of that land, unto a good 
land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 
15. Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The 
Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God 
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. 

SECTION II. 

33d Q. — Wherein did this revelation of the 
divine will differ from those that preceded it ? 

A. — By it God chose the Israelites, from 
among other nations, to be a separate and pe- 
culiar people unto himself, that they might pre- 
serve the knowledge of the only true God, in 
the midst of heathen darkness; and, to effect 
this purpose, he gave them, through Moses, 
laws, statutes, and judgments, for their civil 
and religious conduct. 

Exod. xix. 3. And Moses went up unto God, and the 
Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus 
shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children 
of Israel ; 4. Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyp- 
tians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought 
you unto myself. 5. Now therefore, if ye will obey my 
voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a 
peculiar treasure unto me above all people ; for all the 
earth is mine. 6. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of 
priests, and an holy nation. 

Deut. iv. 5. Behold, I have taught you statutes and 
judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, 
that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess 




34 BEVANS' VIEW* 

it. 6. Keep therefore and do them ; for this is your wis- 
dom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, 
which shall hear all these statutes and say, Surely this 
great nation is a wise and understanding people, 7. For 
what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto 
them, as the Lord our .God is in all things that we call 
upon him for? 

Deut. vii. 6. Thou art an holy people unto the Lord 
thy God ; the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a spe- 
cial people unto himself, above all people that are upon 
the face of the earth. 

Deut. ix. 5. Not for thy righteousness, or for the up- 
rightness of thine heart dost thou go to possess their 
land ; but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord 
thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that 
he may perform the word which the Lord svvare unto thy 
fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

Deut. xxviii. 10. And all the people of the earth shall 
see that thou art called by the name of the Lord ; and 
they shall be afraid of thee. 

Deut. xxx. 15. See, I have set before thee this day 
life and good and death and evil ; 16. In that I command 
thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his 
ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, 
and his judgments, that thou mayst live and multiply; and 
the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither 
thou goest to possess it. 17. But if thine heart turn 
away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shait be drawn 
away, and worship other gods, and serve them ; 18. I de- 
nounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and 
that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither 
thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 

34th Q. — Did this comprise the whole of the 
divine revelation delivered to the Israelites ? 

A. — No, Moses also committed to writing 
an account of the origin of the world, the crea- 
tion and fall of man, and a summary history of 
the world to his own time ; comprising an in- 



BEVANS 1 VIEW* 35 

structive description of God's dealings with 
mankind, both before the flood, and afterwards, 
during the patriarchal age; and this history, 
with the law subjoined to it, is considered as 
the first written revelation of God to man. 

SECTION III. 

35th Q. — Is the law of Moses of universal 
and perpetual obligation ? 

A. — The law of Moses was adapted to the 
state of the Israelites as a nation or political 
body; it therefore admits of a threefold consi- 
deration, 1st. As political; 2ndly. As ceremo- 
nial; 3dly. As moral. The last of these only, 
is of universal and perpetual obligation. 

36th Q. — What part of the Law was po- 
litical? 

A. — That which related to the internal go- 
vernment of the Israelites as a nation, and to 
their intercourse with other nations • the ob- 
servance of it cannot therefore extend beyond 
the Israelites considered as a political body. 

37th Q. — What part of the Law was cere- 
monial ? 

A. — That which related to their public wor- 
ship, and w r as designed to prepare their minds 
for the reception of the Messiah; of whose me- 
diatorial work and office, all the washings, pu- 
rifications, and sacrifices enjoined by it, were 
typical or figurative : it is consequently fulfilled 



36 bevans* view. 

and superseded by the coming of Christ the 
Antitype. 

See the Proofs to the next Answer* 

38th Q.— How did the ceremonial law point 
to Christ ? 

A.— -One or two instances will suffice to illus- 
trate its allusion to Christ : The scape goat, 
upon whose head, "all the iniquities of the chil- 
dren of Israel" were laid, and the continual 
sacrifices for sins, whether wilful or ignorant, 
to make atonement* for the sins of the people, 
clearly advert to Christ, upon whom was laid 
"the iniquity of us all;" and who, by the one 
sacrifice of himself, became an atonement or 
" propitiation for the sins of the whole world." 

Heb. ix. 1. Then verily the first covenant had also 
ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 
2. For there was a tabernacle made ; the first, wherein 
was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread ; 
which is called the sanctuary. 3. And after the second 
veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all ; 
4. Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the co- 
venant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the 
golden pot that had rnanna, and Aaron's rod that budded, 
and the tables of the covenant ; 5. And over it the che- 
rubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat ; of which we 
cannot now speak particularly. 6. Now when these 



* Atonement signifies agreement and concord. In the Scrip- 
tures it is mostly, if not always, applied to the medium chosen 
by God to remove whatever obstructs the concord and union be- 
tween himself and his creature man ; and is therefore applied 
to the Jewish sacrifices, because they were types of Christ, who 
is the grand and special medium of reconciliation between God 
and man. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 37 

things were thus ordained, the priests went always into 
the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 
7. But into the second went the high priest alone, once 
every year, not without blood, which he offered for him- 
self, and for the errors of the people : S. The Holy Ghost 
this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was 
not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was 
yet standing: 9. Which was a figure for the time then 
present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, 
that could not make him that did the service perfect, as 
pertaining to the conscience ; 10. Which stood only in 
meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordi- 
nances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 
11. But Christ being come an high priest of good things 
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not 
made with hands; 12. Neither by the blood of goats and 
calves, but by his own blood ; he entered in once into the 
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 19. 
When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people 
according to the law, he took the blood of calves and 
goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprin- 
kled both the book, and all the people, 20. Saying, This 
is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined 
unto you. 21. Moreover he sprinkled likewise with 
blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the min- 
istry. 22. And almost all things are by the law purged 
with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 
23. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things 
in the heavens should be purified with these ; but the 
heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than 
these. 24. For Christ is not entered into the holy places 
made with hands, which are figures of the true ; but into 
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 
25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the 
high priest entereth into the holy place every year with 
blood of others; 26. For then must he often have suffered 
since the foundation of the world ; but now once in the 
end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the 
sacrifice of himself. 

Heb. x. 1. For the law, having a shadow of good 
things to come, and not the very image of the things nan 

4 



38 BEVANS* VIEW. 

never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by 
year, continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. 4. 
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats 
should take away sins. 5. Wherefore, when he cometh 
into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest 
not, but a body hast thou prepared me : 6. In burnt-offer- 
ings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7. 
Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. 8. Above, 
when he said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offerings, 
and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst plea- 
sure therein (which are offered by the law ;) 9. Then 
said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh 
away the first, that he may establish the second. 10. By 
the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of 
the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

Heb. xiii. 11. For the bodies of those beasts, whose 
blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest, for 
sin, are burned without the camp. 12. Wherefore Jesus 
also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, 
suffered without the gate. 

See also the 7th and 8th chapters of the Hebrews. 

Gal. hi. 16. Now lo Abraham and his seed were the 
promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; 
but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17. And 
this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of 
God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty 
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the pro- 
mise of none effect. 18. For if the inheritance be of the 
law, it is no more of promise ; but God gave it to Abra- 
ham by promise. 1 9. Wherefore then serveth the law 1 
It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should 
come, to whom the promise was made. 21. Is the law 
then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if 
there had been a law given which could have given life, 
verily, righteousness should have been by the law. 22. 
But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the 
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them 
that believe. 23. But before faith came, we were kept 
under the law, shut up unto the faith which should after- 
wards be revealed. 24. Wherefore the law was our 



BEVANS' VIEW. 39 

schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be 
justified by faith. 25. But after that faith is come, we 
are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26. For ye are all 
the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

39th Q. — In v/hat did the moral part of the 
law consist ? 

A. — It is principally comprised in the ten 
commandments, which are as follow : 

1st. Thou shalt have no other gods before 
me. 

2nd. Thou shalt not make unto thee any 
graven image, or the likeness of any thing that 
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth be- 
neath, or that is in the water under the earth. 
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor 
serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a jeal- 
ous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers 
upon the children unto the third and fourth 
generation of them that hate me: and showing 
mercy unto thousands of them that love me, 
and keep my commandments. 

3d. Thou shalt not take the name of the 
Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not 
hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 

4th. Remember the sabbath-day, to keep it 
holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all 
thy work : But the seventh day is the sabbath 
of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do 
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, 
thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy 
cattle, nor the stranger that is within thy gates. 
For in six days the Lord made heaven, and 



40 BEVANS' VIEW. 

earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and 
rested the seventh day: wherefore the "Lord 
blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. # 

5th. Honour thy father and thy mother: that 
thy days may be long upon the land which the 
Lord thy God giveth thee. 

6th. Thou shalt not kill. 

7th. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 

8th. Thou shalt not steal. 

9th. Thou shalt not bear false witness against 
thy neighbour. 

10th. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's 
house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's 
wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, 
nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy 
neighbour's. See Exod. xx. 3 — 17. 

Exod. xxxi. 18. And he [the Lord] gave unto Moses, 
when he had made an end of communing with him upon 
mount Sinai, two tahles of testimony, tables of stone, writ- 
ten with the finger of God. 

Deut. iv. 12. And the Lord spake unto you out of the 
midst of the fire : ye heard the voice of the words, but saw 
no similitude; only ye heard a voice. 13. And he de- 
clared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you 
to perform, even ten commandments, and he wrote them 
upon two tables of stone. 

40th Q. — Are these commandments of uni- 
versal obligation at the present day? 

A. — Those which relate to the moral law 
certainly are; but the fourth, being a part of 

* In Deut. v. 15, a further reason assigned for a particular 
observance of the seventh day is, that it was to commemorate 
the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, where they had 
been long detained in a state of cruel bondage. 



BEVANS VIEW 



9 VTEW. 41 



the Jewish ritual, is abrogated by the coming 
of Christ. The day set 'apart by Christians, 
for the purposes of divine worship, and rest 
from their worldly occupations, is not the se- 
venth, to which day only the commandment 
applies, but the first day of the week. 

Matt. v. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the 
law and the prophets : I am not come to destroy, but to 
fulfil. 

Matt. vii. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye 
would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them : 
for this is the law and the prophets. 

James ii. 8. If ye fulfil the royal law according to the 
Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do 
w T ell. 

Rom. viii. 2. The law of the Spirit of life, in Christ 
Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak 
through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the like- 
ness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh : 

4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in 
us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 

Rom. iii. 21. But now the righteousness of God with- 
out the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and 
the prophets ; 22. Even the righteousness of God which 
is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that 
believe ; for there is no difference : 23. For all have sin- 
ned, and come short of the glory of God; 24. Being jus- 
tified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is 
in Jesus Christ. 27. Where is boasting then ? It is ex- 
cluded. By what law 1 of works ? Nay : but by the law 
of faith. 31. Do we then make void the law through 
faith 1 God forbid : yea, we establish the law. 

41st Q. — Is the first day the Christian sab- 
bath as the seventh day was the Jewish? 

A. — No, for though, from a sense of duty, 
we set apart that day for devotional purposes, 



42 BEVANS' VIEW. 

the Christian sabbath, of which the Jewish was 
typical, applies to no one day in preference to 
another ; but to that advanced state of religious 
experience, in which the Christian rests from his 
own works. 

Isaiah xi. 10. And in that day there shall be a root of 
Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people ; to it 
shall the Gentiles seek : and his rest shall be glorious. 

Matt. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and 
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my 
yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly 
in heart ; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Heb. iv. 1. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being 
left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to 
come short of it. 2. For unto us was the gospel preached, 
as well as unto them [the Israelites ;] but the word preached 
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them 
that heard it. 3. For we which have believed do enter 
into rest. 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the 
people of God. 10. For he that is entered into his rest, he 
also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 

42d Q. — What is the substance of the Law, 
as expressed by our Lord and his Apostles ? 

A. — It is to love the Lord our God with our 
whole heart, without any reserve, and to love 
our neighbour as ourselves. 

Mark xii. 23. And one of the scribes came, and asked 
him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29. And 
Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, 
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord : 30. And 
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy 
strength: this is the first commandment. 31. And the 
second is like, namely, this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour 
as thyself. There is none other commandment greater 
than these. 



be vans' view. 43 

Matt. xxii. 40. On these two commandments hang. all 
the law and the prophets. 

Rom. xiii. 8. Love one another; for he that loveth 
another, hath fulfilled the law. 9. For this, Thou shalt 
not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not 
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not 
covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is 
briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbour as thyself. 10. Love worketh no ill 
to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the 
law. 

43d Q — Is man able to keep the command- 
ments of God ? 

A. — -It is impossible for man, unassisted by 
the grace of God ; but through the Spirit of 
Christ strengthening him, he can do all that is 
required of him; for the gracious and allwise 
Creator does not require impossibilities of any 
of his creatures, by enjoining what he does not 
give power to perform. 

John xv. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 
except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye 
abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches ; he 
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth 
much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. 

Rom. vii. 18. I know that in me, (that is in my flesh) 
dwelieth no good thing ; for to will is present with me ; 
but how to perform that which is good I find not. 

John xiv. 18. I will not leave you comfortless ,• I will 
come to you. 

2 Cor. xii. 9. And he [the Lord] said unto me, My 
grace is sufficient for thee ; for my strength is made per- 
fect in weakness. 

Neh. ix. 20. Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to in- 
struct them. 

Phil. iv. 13. I can do all things through Christ which 
strengtheneth me. 



44 BEVANS* VIEW, 



SECTION IV. 

44th Q. — Were the Israelites favoured with 
any farther declaration of the divine will than 
what was contained in the Law of Moses ? 

A. — Yes, God sent, from time to time, pro- 
phets to them ; either to encourage them, when 
they loved and feared him, or, to denounce the 
judgments he would inflict on them, if they for- 
sook him and disobeyed his commands. 

Hag. ii. 4. Be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord ; 
and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; 
and be strong all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, 
and work ; for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts ; 
5. According to the word that I covenanted with you when 
ye came out of Egypt, so my Spirit remaineth among you ; 
fear ye not. 

Zech. i. 16. Thus saith the Lord ; I am returned to 
Jerusalem with mercies ; my house shall be builded in it, 
saith the Lord of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth 
upon Jerusalem. 17. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the 
Lord of hosts ; my cities through prosperity shall yet be 
spread abroad ; and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and 
shall yet choose Jerusalem. 

2 Chron. xxiv. 18. And they left the house of the 
Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols ; 
and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their 
trespass. 19. Yet he sent prophets to them to bring them 
again unto the Lord ; and they testified against them ; but 
they would not give ear. 20. And the Spirit of God came 
upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood 
above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, 
Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that 
ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he 
hath also forsaken you. 21. And they conspired against 
him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of 
the king, in the court of the house of the Lord, 



BEVANS* VIEW. 45 

2 Chron. xxxvi. 15. And the Lord God of their fathers 
sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and 
sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on 
his dwelling-place ; 16. But they mocked the messengers 
of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets. 

45th Q. — Did Moses and the prophets fore- 
tel the coming of Christ ? 

A. — They did, but none more explicitly than 
Isaiah, who has so fully described the person 
and mediatorial office of Christ, that he is often 
called the evangelical prophet. 

Deut. xviii. 17. And the Lord said unto me, 18. I 
will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, 
like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth ; and 
he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 
19. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not 
hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, 
I will require it of him. 

Ps. ii. 6. I have set. my king upon my holy hill of 
Zion. 7. I will declare the decree ; the Lord hath said 
unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 
8. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine 
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy 
possession. 

Ps. xxii. 7. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn ; 
they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8. He 
trusted in the Lord, that he would deliver him ; let him 
deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 16. They pierc- 
ed my hands and my feet. 18. They part my garments 
among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 

Ps. lxix. 21. They gave me also gall for my meat; 
and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 

Ps. xvi. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; nei- 
ther wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 

Ps. ex. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at 
my right hand, until 1 make thine enemies thy footstool. 
2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of 
Zion : rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 4. The 



46 BEVANS* VIEW. 

Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest 
for ever, after the order of Melchizedec. 

Jer. xxiii. 5. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, 
that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a king 
shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and 
justice in the earth. 6. In his days Judah shall be saved, 
and Israel shall dwell safely ; and this is his name whereby 
he shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness. 

Dan. vii. 13. I saw in the night visions, and behold, 
one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, 
and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him 
near before him. 14. And there was given him dominion 
and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and lan- 
guages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting 
dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that 
which shall not be destroyed. 

Micah v. 2. But thou Bethlehem Ephrata, though thou 
be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee 
shall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Israel ; 
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 

Zech. ix. 9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ; 
shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; Behold, thy king cometh 
unto thee : he is just, and having salvation ; lowly, and 
riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 

Zech. xiii. 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, 
and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of 
hosts ; smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scat- 
tered ; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. 

Mai. iii. 1. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he 
shall prepare the way before me ; and the Lord whom ye 
seek, shall suddenly come to his temple ; even the messen- 
ger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold he shaH 
come, saith the Lord of hosts. 

46th Q. — What has Isaiah prophesied of 
Christ ? 

A. — That he should take upon him our na- 
ture by being born of a virgin, and be called 
Immanuel, or God with us; that he should be 



BEVANS 9 VIEW. 47 

wounded for our transgressions, lay down his 
life for the sins of the world, and become an 
intercessor for sinners. 

Isaiah vii. 14. The Lord himself shall give you a sign, 
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall 
call his name Immanuel. 

Isaiah ix. 2. The people that walked in darkness have 
seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the sha- 
dow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 6. For 
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given ; and the 
government shall be upon his shoulders ; and his name 
shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, 
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7. Of the 
increase of his government and peace there shall be no 
end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to 
order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, 
from henceforth even for ever. 

Isaiah xxviii. 16. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I 
lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a sure 
foundation ; he that believeth shall not make haste. * See 
also ch. viii. 14. 

Isaiah xlix. 6. And he [the Lord] said, It is a light 
thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the 
tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel : I 
will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou 
mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 

Isaiah liii. 1. Who hath believed our report? and to 
whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? 2. For he shall 
grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of 
^ dry ground. 3. He is despised and rejected of men ; a 
man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as 
it were our faces from him ; he was despised, and we es- 
teemed him not. 4. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and 
carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, 
smitten of God, and afflicted. 5. But he was wounded 
for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; 



* Bishop Lowth translates it, " He that trusteth in him shall 
'not be confounded." 



48 BEVANS* VIEW. 

the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his 
stripes we are healed. 6. All we like sheep have gone 
astray ; we have turned every one to his own way ; and 
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7. He 
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his 
mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his 
mouth. 8. He was taken from prison and from judgment ; 
and who shall declare his generation ? for he was cut off 
out of the land of the living : for the transgression of my 
people was he stricken. 9. And he made his grave with 
the wicked, and with the rich in his death ; because he 
had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 

10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put 
him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering 
for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, 
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 

11. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be 
satisfied ; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant 
justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. 12. There- 
fore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall 
divide-the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured 
out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the 
transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made 
intercession for the transgressors. 

Isaiah Ixi. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; 
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings 
unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken- 
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the open- 
ing of the prison to them that are bound ; 2. To proclaim 
the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance 
of our God; to comfort all that mourn. 3. To appoint unto 
them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for 
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise 
for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees 
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might 
be glorified. 

Isaiah lxiii. 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom, 
with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in 
his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I 
that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2. Where- 



BEVANS* VIEW. 49 

fore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like 
him that treadeth in the wine-fat? 3. I have trodden the 
wine-press alone ; and of the people there was none with 
me. 4. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and 
the year of my redeemed is come. 5. And I looked, 
and there was none to help; and I wondered that there 
was none to uphold ; therefore mine own arm Drought sal- 
vation unto me ; and my fury it upheld me. See also ch. 
lix. 16, 17. 

Isaiah 1. 6. I gave my back to the smiters, and my 
cheeks to them that plucked off the hair ; I hid not my 
face from shame and spitting. 

.Isaiah xxxv. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and 
confirm the feeble knees. 4. Say to them that are of a 
fearful heart, Be strong, fear not ; behold, your God will 
come with vengeance, even God with a recompense ; he 
will come and save you. 5. Then the eyes of the blind 
shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstop- 
ped : 6. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and 
the tongue of the dumb sing. 



50 BEVAJVs' VIEW. 



CHAPTER III. 
SECTION I. 

47th Q. — Were the prophecies, as to the 
maimer in which Christ should assume human 
nature, and suffer therein, fulfilled in every par- 
ticular ? 

A. — They were : Christ was conceived hy the 
power of the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin 
Mary, in the days of Augustus Caesar, the first 
emperor of Rome ; lived a life of poverty, and 
was put to the ignominious death of the cross, 
at the instigation of the Jews, by Pontius Pilate, 
the governor of Judea in the time of Tiberius 
Csesar, the successor of Augustus ; but on the 
third day he rose from the dead. 

Matt. i. 20. Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared 
to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear 
not to take unto thee Mary thy wife : for that which is 
conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. 21. And she shall 
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for 
he shall save his people from their sins. 22. (Now all 
this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 
of the Lord by the prophet,* saying, 23. Behold, a vir- 
gin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and 
they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpre- 
ted, is, God with us.) 

Matt. xxvi. 67. Then did they spit in his [Jesus] face, 
and buffetted him ; and others smote him with the palms 
of their hands. 



* Newcome translates this phrase wherever it occurs — so that 
it was fulfilled which the Lord spake by the prophet. 



BEVANS 9 VIEW. 51 

Matt, xxvii. 30. And they spit upon him, and took the 
reed, and smote him. 34. They gave him vinegar to 
drink, mingled with gall ; and when he tasted thereof, he 
would not drink. 41. The chief priests mocking him, with 
the scribes and elders, said, 43. He trusted in God, let 
him deliver him now if he will have him; for he said, I 
am the Son of God. 

Mark i. 1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ 
the Son of God ; 2. As it is written in the prophets, Be- 
hold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall 
prepare thy way before thee. 

Mark xiv. 27. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall 
be offended because of me this night : for it is written, I 
will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 

Mark xv. 3. And the chief priests accused him of many 
things ; but he answered nothing. 4. And Pilate asked 
him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how 
many things they witness against thee. 5. But Jesus yet 
answered nothing ; so that Pilate marvelled. 27. And 
with him they crucify two thieves ; the one on his right 
hand, and the other on his left. 28. And the Scripture 
was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the 
transgressors. 

Luke ii. 25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusa- 
lem, whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was just 
and devout. 26. And it was revealed unto him by the 
Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had 
seen the Lord's Christ. 27. And he came by the Spirit 
into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child 
Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28. 
Then took he him up in his arms,. and blessed God, and 
said, 29* Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in 
peace, according to thy word : 30. For mine eyes have 
seen thy salvation, 31. Which thou hast prepared before 
the face of all people ; 32. A light to lighten the Gentiles, 
and the glory of thy people Israel. 

Luke iv. 17. And there was delivered unto him [Jesus] 
the book of the prophet Esaias : and when he had opened 
the book, he found the place where it. was written, 18. 
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath 
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he hath 



52 BEVAIVS' VIEW. 

sjnt me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance 
to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set 
at liberty them that are bruised; 19. To preach the ac- 
ceptable year of the Lord. 20. And he closed the book, 
and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And 
the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were 
fastened on him. 21. And he began to say unto them, 
This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears. 22. And 
all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words 
which proceeded out of his mouth. 

Luke vii. 19. And John, calling unto him two of his 
disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that 
should come? or look we for another? 21. And in that 
same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, 
and of evil spirits : and unto many that were blind he gave 
sight. 22. Then Jesus answering, said unto them, Go 
your way and tell John what things ye have seen and 
heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers 
are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the 
poor the gospel is preached. 23. And blessed is he, who- 
soever shall not be offended in me. 

John xii. 37. But though he [Jesus] had done so many 
miracles before them, yet they believed not on him : 38. 
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, 
which he spake ; Lord, who hath believed our report, and 
to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed ? 

John xix. 23. Then the soldiers, when they had cru- 
cified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to 
every soldier a part, and also his coat : now the coat was 
without seam, woven from the top throughout : 24. They 
said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but 
cast lots for it, whose it shall be : that the Scripture might 
be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among 
them, and for my vesture did they cast lots. 

Acts i. 1. The former treatise have I made, O Theo- 
philus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. 2. 
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he, 
through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto 
the Apostles whom he had chosen : 3. To whom also he 
showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible 



/ 



J3EVANS* VIEW. 53 

proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the 
things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 

Acts xiii. 32. And we [Paul and Barnabas] declare 
Unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was 
made unto the fathers, 33. God hath fulfilled the same 
unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus 
again ; as it is written in the second psalm, Thou art my 
Son, this day have I begotten thee. 35. Wherefore he 
saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine 
Holy One to see corruption. 

Acts xiii. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, 
and said, It was necessary that the word of God should 
first have been spoken to you [the Jews ;] but seeing ye 
put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of ever- 
lasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles : 47. For so hath 
the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a 
light to the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation 
unto the ends of the earth. 49. And when the Gentiles 
heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the 
Lord. 

1 Cor. xv. 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you 
the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have 
received, and wherein ye stand ; 3. For I delivered unto 
you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ 
died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4.* And 
that he w?re buried, and that he rose again the third* day 
according to the Scriptures : 5. And that he was seen of 
Cephas, then of the twelve: 6. After that he was seen 
of above five hundred brethren at once* 

Heb. iv- 14. Seeing then that we have a great high 
priest ; that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of 
God, let us hold fast our profession. 

Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto him- 
self, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5. So 
also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; 
but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, to-day have 
I begotten thee. 6. As he saith also in another place, 
Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 

1 Peter ii. 2. As new born babes, desire the sincere 
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3. If so 

be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4. To whom 

4* 



54 BEVANS* VIEW. 

coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, 
but chosen of God, and precious. 5. Ye also, as lively- 
stones, ar: built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, 
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus 
Christ. 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scrip- 
ture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, pre- 
cious : and he that believeth on him shall not be confound- 
ed. 7. Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious; 
but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the 
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the cor- 
ner, 8. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, 
even to them which stumble at the word, being disobe- 
dient. 

Rev. xix. 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a 
white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faith- 
ful and True ; and in righteousness he doth judge and 
make war. 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on 
his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, 
that no man knew but himself. 13. And he was clothed 
with a vesture dipped in blood : and his name is called 
The Word of God. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a 
sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations : and 
he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he treadeth the 
wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. 
16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name 
written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 

48th Q. — Wherefore did Christ lay aside his 
divine glory, and take upon him our nature? 

A. — It pleased divine wisdom that he should 
so become an atonement, reconciliation, or pro- 
pitiation for fallen man, and a mediator between 
God and man. 

Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through 
the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25. Whom God 
hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his 
blood, to declare his righteousness, for the remission of 
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. 






BE vans' view, 55 

Rom. v. 10. For if when we were enemies, we were 
reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; much more, 
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11. And 
not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord 
Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atone- 
ment. 

2 Cor. v. 18. And all things are of God, who hath 
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given 
to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19. To wit, that 
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not 
imputing their trespasses unto them. 

1 Tim. ii. 5. For there is one God, and one mediator 
between God and man, the man Christ Jesus ; 6. Who 
gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

1 John iv. 9. God sent his only begotten Son into the 
world, that we might live through him. 10. Herein is 
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent 
his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Rev. v. 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou 
art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals there- 
of: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by 
thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, 
and nation. 

Heb. ii. 16. For verily he took not on him the nature 
of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17. 
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like 
unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful high priest 
in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the 
sins of the people. 

49th Q.- — Why did man stand in need of 
such a propitiation ? 

A. — Sin, which separates from God. having 
been introduced into the world by the disobedi- 
ence of Adam (as already stated) fallen man 
possessed no power to regain the divine image, 
and restore the harmony of the first creation : 
therefore Christ, who had all power, came, that 



58 BEVANS 9 VIEW. 

be might destroy sin, and repair the breach it 
had made in the creation of God. 

See the Proofs to the next answer. 

50th Q. — How did Christ effect this all-im- 
portant object. 

A. — He successfully withstood every tempta- 
tion of the devil, and offered up his life on the 
cross, as a sacrifice for sin; by which sacrifice, 
as he triumphed over death, hell, and the grave, 
in his own person, so he enables his followers 
to obtain the like victory, by which they are 
reconciled and reunited to God, from whom 
they were before separated by their sins. 

Heb, ii. 14. Forasmuch then as the children are par- 
takers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took 
part of the same ; that through death he might destroy 
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. 

1 Peter ii. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in 
his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, 
should live unto righteousness ; by whose stripes ye were 
healed. 

1 John iii. 8. He that committeth sin, is of the devil ; 
for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this pur- 
pose the Son of God was manifested, that he might de- 
stroy the works of the devil. 

Matt. iv. 1. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into 
the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. 10. Then 
saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan : for it is 
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him 
only shalt thou serve. 11. Then the devil leaveth him, 
and behold angels came and ministered to him. 

Isaiah xxv. 8. He will swallow up death in victory. 

Hosea xiii. 14. I will ransom them from the power of 
the grave : I will redeem them from death : O Death, I 
will be thy plagues; O Grave, I will be thy destruction. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 57 

Rom. vi. 9. Knowing that Christ, being raised from 
the dead, dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion 
over him. 

Rev. i. 18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, 
behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen ; and have the 
keys of hell and of death. 

Eph. ii. 13. But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who some- 
times were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
18. For through him we both have access by one Spi- 
rit unto the Father. 19. Now therefore ye are no more 
strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the 
saints, and of the household of God. 

Eph. vi. 11. Put on the whole armour of God, that 
ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 
12. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but 
against principalities, against .powers, against the rulers 
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness 
in high places. 

1 Cor. xv. 57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us 
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Rom. xvi. 20. And* the God of peace shall bruise 
Satan under your feet shortly. 

51st Q. — How did Christ prove his victory 
over sin and death ? 

A. — By his resurrection from the grave. As 
this afforded an indubitable and illustrious proof 
of his being the Messiah, so it confirms our 
faith in his power to destroy sin, which had 
been the means of introducing death ; and also 
to raise up our bodies like unto his glorious 
body. 

Rom. vi. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by bap- 
tism into death : that like as Christ was raised up from 
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also 
should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been 
planted together in (he likeness of his death ; we shall be 
also in the likeness of his resurrection. 



58 BEVANS' VIEW. 

1 Cor. vi. 14. And God hath both raised up the Lord, 
and will also raise up us by his own power. 

2 Cor. iv. 14. Knowing that he which raised up the 
Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall pre- 
sent us with you. 

1 Cor. xv. 13. But if there be no resurrection of the 
dead, then is Christ not risen. 41. There is one glory of 
the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory 
of the stars ; for one star differeth from another star in 
glory. 42. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It 
is sown in corruption ; it is raised in incorruption : 43. It 
is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory : it is sown in 
weakness, it is raised in power : 44. It is sown a natural 
body, it is raised a spiritual body. 

1 John iii. 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, 
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be : but we know 
that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. 

52nd Q. — Do all men partake of the benefit 
of Christ's coming and mediation ? 

A. — Christ died for all men; for, by his 
death, all are put in a capacity for salvation ; 
but those only receive the full benefit of Christ's 
death and mediation, who, accepting his offer 
of salvation, "live not unto themselves, but 
unto him who died for them." 

Heb. ii. 9. But we see Jesus, who was made a little 
lower than the angels for the sufFering of death, crowned 
with glory and . honour ; that he by the grace of God 
should taste death for every man. 

1 John ii. 2. And he [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation 
for our sins : and not for ours only, but also for the sins 
of the whole world. 

1 Tim. ii. 1. I exhort therefore, that first of all, sup- 
plications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be 
made for all men : 3. For this is good and acceptable in 
the sight of God our Saviour; 4. Who will have all men 
to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 59 

John iii. 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the 
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15. 
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have eternal life. 17. For God sent not his Son into the 
world to condemn the world ; but that the world through 
him might be saved. 

Rom. v. 18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judg- 
ment came upon all men to condemnation : even so by the 
righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto 
justification of life. 

John xi. 25. Jesus saith unto her [Martha], I am the 
resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me, though 
he were dead, yet shall he live; 26. And whosoever liv- 
eth, and believeth in me, shall never die. 

2 Cor. v. 14. For the love of Christ constraineth us, 
because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were 
all dead : 15. And that he died for all, that they which 
live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto 
him which died for them, and rose again. 

Gal. ii. 20. I am crucified with Christ : nevertheless 
I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me : and the life 
which I now live in the flesh, I live .by the faith of the 
Son of God. 

SECTION II, 

53d Q. — How does Christ offer himself to 
mankind as a Saviour from sin ? 

A. — He offers himself immediately and uni- 
versally to mankind by his Spirit. He also 
offers himself by the Scriptures ; and by his 
servants, whom he commissions to preach the 
gospel of life and salvation ; and both these 
direct men to his Spirit within them : which if 
they resist not, but receive into their hearts in 
living faith, he redeems them from their fallen 
state of death and darkness, and translates 
them into a state of life and light ; in which 



BO BEVAttS* VIEW. 

they become sons of God, and heirs of a happy 
and glorious immortality. 

1 Cor. xii. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given 
to every man to profit withal. 

Gal. iv> 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son 
into your hearts, 

Eph. ii. 18. Through him [Christ] we both have ac- 
cess by one Spirit unto the Father. 

Eph. iv. 7. Unto every one of us is given grace ac- 
cording to the measure of the gift of Christ. 

John v. 39. Search the Scriptures ; for in them ye 
think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify 
of me. 40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might 
have life. 

Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever things were written afore- 
time were written for our learning ; that we through pa- 
tience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 

2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, 
as though God did beseech you by us : we pray you in 
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 

Acts xx. 32. And now, brethren, I commend you to 
God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build 
you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them 
which are sanctified. 

John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them 
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them 
that believe on his name. 

John i. 9. That was the true light, which lighteth 
every man that cometh into the world. 

Col. i. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath 
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the 
saints in light. 13. Who hath delivered us from the 
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the king- 
dom of his dear Son. 

Titus iii. 7. That being justified by his grace, we 
should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

54th Qc — What is understood by living 
faith? 



BEVANS' VIEW. 61 

A. — A firm trust in the power of Christ 
alone for righteousness and salvation ; and a 
confidential hope in the promises of God in 
Christ : it is indeed, as the Apostle describes 
it, " the substance of things hoped for, the evi- 
dence of things not seen." 

See the Proofs to the following Answer. 

55th Q. — Is not faith then essential to a 
Christian? 

A. — Certainly, "for without faith it is impos- 
sible to please God." 

Mark ix. 23. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst be- 
lieve, all things are possible to him that believeth. 

Luke vii. 48. And he [Jesus] said unto her, Thy sins 
are forgiven. 50. Thy faith hath saved thee; go in 
peace. 

Rom. i. 17. For therein [in the Gospel] is the righte- 
ousness of God revealed from faith to faith ; as it is writ- 
ten, The just shall live by faith. 

Rom. iv. 20. He [Abraham] staggered not at the pro- 
mise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, 
giving glory to God: 21. And being fully persuaded 
that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 

23. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was 
imputed to him ; 24. But for us also, to whom it shall 
be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our 
Lord from the dead. 

Heb. x. 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, 
which hath great recompense of reward. 36. For ye 
have need of patience; that after ye have done the will of 
God, ye might receive the promise. 38. Now the just 
shall live by faith : but if any man draw back, my soul 
shall have no pleasure in him. 

Heb. xi. 1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped 
for, the evidence of things not seen. 3. Through faith we 

5 



62 BEVANS' VIEW. 

understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of 
God, so that things which are seen were not made of 
things which do appear. 4. By faith Abel offered unto 
God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. 5. By faith 
Enoch was translated that he should not see death ; and 
was not found, because God had translated him ; for be- 
fore his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased 
God. But without faith it is impossible to please him. 

1 Peter i. 5. Who [you] are kept by the power of God 
through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the 
last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for 
a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness, through mani- 
fold temptations : 7. That the trial of your faith being 
much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it 
be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, 
and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom 
having not seen, ye love : in whom though now ye see 
him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable 
and full of glory. 

56th Q. — To what is man indebted for this 
living faith ? 

A. — To the grace or Spirit of God, which 
brings salvation, redeems from the corrupt fallen 
nature, and forms in man a new birth or life 
unto holiness. 

Gal. v. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, 
peace, goodness, faith, &c. 

Eph. ii. 8. By grace are ye saved, through faith; and 
that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God. 

Heb. xii. 1. Let us lay aside every weight, and the 
sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with pa- 
tience the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto 
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. 

2 Peter i. 1. Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of 
Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious 
faith with us, through the righteousness of God, and our 
Saviour Jesus Christ. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 63 

John i. 12. But as many as received him, to them 
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them 
that believe on his name : 13. Which were born, not of 
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 
but of God. 

1 Peter i. 21. Who by him do believe in God that 
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that 
your faith and hope might be in God. 22. Seeing ye 
have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the 
Spirit : 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, 
but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and 
abideth for ever. 

57th Q. — Can any man be saved without ex- 
periencing this new birth ? 

A. — No, for as we could not partake of the 
nature of the first Adam but by a natural birth 
from him, so we cannot partake of the heavenly 
nature and righteousness of Christ as the se- 
cond Adam, but by being born again of the 
Spirit.* 

John iii. 3. Jesus answered and said unto him [Nico- 
demus,] Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be 
born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5. Verily, 
verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water, and 
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which 
is born of the Spirit, is spirit. 

Rom. viii. 13. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall 
die : but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of 
the body, ye shall live. 14. For as many as are led by 
the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 



* " Do not the means and manner of redemption show the 
nature of the fall] By disobedience, man died to his Immanuel 
or first state ; by a new birth produced by the operation of the 
Holy Spirit, this state is regained." Hints on Regeneration, by 
Richard Phillips, 2d edit. p. 15. 



G4 BEVANS' VIEW. 

1 Cor. xv. 49. And as we have borne the image of 
the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. 

2 Cor. v. 17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he 
is a new creature : old things are passed away, behold, 
all things are become new. 

Gal. vi. 15. Fur in Christ Jesus neither circumcision 
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new crea- 
ture. 

SECTION III. 

58th Q. — How does the Spirit of Christ ef- 
fect this change ? 

A. — It produces repentance, by convincing 
the soul of the sinfulness of sin; and the sinner, 
being hereby made sensible that, by nature, he 
" is corrupt, fallen, and unregenerate," # and to- 
tally unable to take a single step towards his 
own salvation, feels the necessity he has of a 
Redeemer, and is enabled to pray to God for 
deliverance from the thraldom and guilt of sin.t 

Mark i. 14. Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the 
gospel of the kingdom of God, 15. And saying, The 
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : re- 
pent ye, and believe the gospel. 

* Barclay's Apology, Prop. iv. § 2. 

f As it is through divine mercy and goodness that the mind 
is awakened to a sense of the importance of its eternal interests, 
so it sometimes occurs, especially at an early age, that the soul, 
is in the first instance, tendered and melted down under a lively 
impression of the extension of the love of God towards it; thus 
such are allured into the paths of holiness ; whilst others are 
powerfully wrought upon by strong convictions of sin, and of 
the wrath of God upon sin : but however various these first im- 
pressions may be on different persons, as they are the operations 
of the same divine power of Love, so they will ultimately pro- 
duce the same conviction upon the mind of the unworthiness 
and nothingness of the creature, "that God may be all in all." 



BEVANS' VIEW. 65 

Acts iii. 19. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, 
that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of re- 
freshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. 

Luke xviii. 13. And the publican standing afar off, 
would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but 
smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a 
sinner. 14. I [Jesus] tell you, this man went down to 
his house justified rather than the other [the self-righteous 
pharisee.] 

John xvi. 8. And when he [the Comforter] is come, 
he will reprove [or convince*] the world of sin. 

2 Cor. vii. 9. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made 
sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance : for ye were 
made sorry after a godly manner. 10. For godly sorrow 
worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of. 

59th Q. — Does the soul always obtain an 
immediate answer to its prayer ? 

A. — The prayer of the sincere is always 
heard, though it may consist with Divine Wis- 
dom to withhold immediate relief; but if the 
soul persevere in prayer and faint not, it will 
experience deliverance from the thraldom and 
guilt of sin, or, in the language of Scripture, the 
forgiveness of sins. 

Psal. xxxiv. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are 
of a broken heart ; and saveth such as be of a contrite 
spirit. 

Psal. cii. 17. He [the Lord] will regard the prayer of 
the destitute, and not despise their prayer. 18. This shall 
be written for the generation to come. 

Isaiah lvii. 15. For thus saith the high and lofty One 
that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in 
the high and holy place; with him also that is of a con- 



* The marginal reading has convince, which is adopted by 
Newcome. 



66 BEVANS 5 VIEW. 

trite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, 
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

Matt. xxi. 22. All things whatsoever ye shall ask in 
prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 

Luke xviii. 1. And he [Jesus] spake a parable unto 
them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not 
to faint. [Then follows (v. 2 — 5) the parable of the widow 
and unjust judge, after which our Saviour proceeds.] 6, 
Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7. And shall not God 
avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, 
though he bear long with them? 8. I tell you that he 
will avenge them speedily. 

Col. i. 14. In whom [Christ] we have redemption 
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 

60th Q. — Does this forgiveness of sins flow 
from any merit in man, or from good works 
done by him ? 

A. — Certainly not, he is indebted for it solely 
to the mercy of God in Christ. 

See the Proofs to the next Answer. 

61st Q. — Is not this what is sometimes called 
Justification ? 

A. — Yes, because the sinner's past transgres- 
sions being forgiven, he feels himself justified, 
through Christ, from the guilt he had imbibed 
by his former sins, so that they no longer im- 
pede his advancement towards that sanctifica- 
tion or justification* which constitutes the per- 
fection of the Christian progress. 

* Justification as applied to the pardon of sin is used in a legal 
sense, but as applied to sanctification it is used in its strict and 
proper sense, which signifies being made just or holy. For a 
full and clear explication of this important subject, see Barclay's 
Apology, Prop. vii. on Justification. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 67 

Rom. iii. 22. There is no difference : 23. For all 
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; 24. 
Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemp- 
tion that is in Jesus Christ : 25. Whom God hath set 
forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to 
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are 
past, through the forbearance of God. 

Eph. i. 7. In whom we have the forgiveness of sins, 
according to the riches of his grace. 

Eph. ii. 4. God, who is rich in mercy, for his great 
love wherewith he loved us, 5. Even when we were dead 
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace 
ye are saved.) 

Rorn. vi. 22. But now being made free from sin, and 
become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, 
and the end everlasting life. 

Rom. viii. I. There is therefore now no condemnation 
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of 
life, in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of 
sin and death. 

62nd Q. — Are we thus justified by our own 
righteousness ? 

A — We can have no righteousness of our 
own as creatures ; but by the new birth, or re- 
generation, we are made one with Christ, as the 
branch with the vine: so that his obedience and 
righteousness, his death, sufferings, and victory, 
become ours, not by an outward imputation, but 
by a real inward participation of his divinena- 
ture and righteousness ; by which we are sanc- 
tified, so are we justified. 

Isaiah Ixiv. 6. We are all as an unclearr thing, and all 
our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. 

John xv. 4. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, 
except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye 



68 BEVANS' VIEW. 

abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches : he 
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth 
much fruit, for without me ye can do nothing. 

John xvii. 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for 
them also which shall believe on me through their word : 
21. That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, 
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. 

1 John ii. 29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye 
know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of 
him. 

Rom. v. 17. For if by one man's offence death reigned 
by one; much more they which receive abundance of 
grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life 
by one, Jesus Christ. 19. For as by one man's disobe- 
dience many were made sinners ; so by the obedience of 
one, shall many be made righteous. 

Rom. x. 3. For they [Israel] being ignorant of God's 
righteousness, and going about to establish their own right- 
eousness, have not submitted themselves unto the right- 
eousness of God. 4. For Christ is the end of the law for 
righteousness to every one that believeth. 

1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who 
of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and 
sanctiiication, and redemption: 31. That according as it 
is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 

2 Cor. v. 21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, 
who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteous- 
ness of God in him. 

Titus iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we 
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the 
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; 
6. Which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ 
our Saviour. 

63d Q. — Should not the soul press after a 
further attainment in holiness, notwithstanding 
it may have known its sins forgiven ? 

A. — Certainly it should, for though, in the 
state already described , it becomes a child of 



BEVANS' VIEW. 69 

God, yet that state is comparable to infancy, in 
which the soul is inexperienced in the many 
snares and wiles of the enemy ; but if it main- 
tain the watch and persevere in its course, it 
will, after many conflicts and probations, arrive 
at the state of a young man in Christ, and ob- 
tain the victory over the wicked one. 

1 John ii. 12. I write unto you, little children, because 
your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 

Mark xiii. 37. What I say unto you, I say unto all, 
Watch. 

1 Cor. ix. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a 
race, run all, but one receiveth the prize? So ruft that ye 
may obtain. 25. And every man that striveth for the 
mastery is temperate in all things : Now they do it to 
obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 

Phil. iii. 8. I count all things but loss, for the excel- 
lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for 
whom I have suffered the loss of all things. 11. If by 
any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead : 
12. Not as though I had already attained; either were al- 
ready perfect. 13. But this one thing I do, forgetting 
those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto 
those things which are before, 14. I press toward the 
mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ 
Jesus. 

2 Peter iii. 17. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know 
these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away 
with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stead- 
fastness. 18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge 
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Eph. vi. 10. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the 
Lord, and in the power of his might. 11. Put on the 
whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. 

1 John ii. 14. I have written unto you, 3 T oung men, 
because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in 
you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 



70 BEVANS* VIEW. 

64th Q. — May not the soul which thus ob- 
tains the victory over sin, attain to a state of 
perfection, or freedom from sin ? 

A. — Yes, for as the soul advances to a state 
of maturity in Christ, righteousness or holiness 
becomes, as it were, the element in which it 
lives; the contrary nature and spirit, which 
once had the dominion, and brought it under 
condemnation, being crucified and slain, Christ 
reigns unrivalled in the heart, and it is sancti- 
fied and made perfect according to its present 
capacity : " yet doth this perfection still admit 
of growth ; and there remaineth always in some 
part a possibility of sinning, where the mind 
doth not most diligently and watchfully attend 
unto the Lord."* 

Rom. vi. 18. Being then made free from sin, ye be- 
came the servants of righteousness. 20. For when ye 
were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 
22. But now being made free from sin, and become ser- 
vants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness. 

2 Cor. vii. 1. Dearly beloved, Let us cleanse ourselves 
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness 
in the fear of God. 

Eph. iv. 11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, 
prophets; and some, evangelists: 12. For the perfecting 
of the saints : 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect 
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of 
Christ. 

Col. i. 21. And you that were sometime alienated, and 
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he 
reconciled, 22. In the body of his flesh through death, to 
present you holy and unblameable, and unreprovable in 

* Barclay's Apology, Prop. viii. (8th edit. p. 241.) 



BEVANS' VIEW. 71 

his sight. 27. To whom God would make known what 
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gen- 
tiles ; which is Christ in you the hope of glory: 28. 
Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every 
man in all wisdom ; that we may present every man per- 
fect in Christ Jesus. 

Matt. v. 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your 
Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

1 Thess. v. 23. And the very God of peace sanctify 
you wholly ; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul 
and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter v. 10. The God of all grace who hath called 
us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye 
have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strength- 
en, settle you. 11. To him be glory and dominion for 
ever and ever, Amen. 

65th Q. — Is it possible for those who have 
been renewed by the grace of God that brings 
salvation, finally to fall away from it? 

A. — Yes ; we are therefore exhorted to make 
our calling and election sure; for if, through 
un watch fulness, any fall away after they have 
tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made par- 
takers of the Holy Spirit ; they make shipwreck 
of faith; and the relapsed state of such is more 
hopeless than their first unconverted state. 

1 Cor. ix. 27. I keep under my body and bring it into 
subjection : lest that by any means when I have preached 
to others, I myself should be a cast-away. 

2 Peter ii. 20. For if after they have escaped the pol- 
lutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein 
and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the 
beginning. 21. For it had been better for them not to have 
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have 
known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered 
unto them. 



72 BEVAJVS' VIEW. 



SECTION IV. 

66th Q. — How does a Christian give proof 
of his being in the faith ? 

A. — By his works. 

Matt. vii. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit : 
neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 20. 
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21. Not 
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into 
the kingdom of heaven : but he that doeth the will of my 
Father which is in heaven. 

Titus i. 16. They profess that they know God; but in 
works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, 
and unto every good work reprobate. 

James ii. 14. What doth it profit, my brethren, though 
a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith 
save him? 15. If a brother or sister be naked, and desti- 
tute of daily food; 16. And one of you say unto them, 
Depart in peace, be you warmed, and filled : notwithstand- 
ing ye give them not those things which are needful to the 
body; what doth it profit? 17. Even so faith, if it hath 
not works, is dead, being alone. 18. Show me thy faith 
without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my 
works. 

67th Q. — What are these works ? 

A. — The performance, 1st. Of our duty to 
God. 2dly. Of our duty to man. 

68th Q.— What is our duty to God ? 

A. — To fear, reverence, love, and serve him, 
by giving him our hearts, and offering to him 
the prayer and worship he requires of us ; to 
keep ourselves, through his divine aid, sober, 
chaste, and temperate: to obey all his com- 



BEVANS* VIEW. 73 

mands, and sustain with patience and resigna- 
tion whatever distress or affliction he may suf- 
fer to befall us, whether of body or of mind. 

Deut. x. 12. What doth the Lord thy God require of 
thee, but the fear of the Lord thy God, to walk in all his 
ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with 
all thy heart, and with all thy soul. 

Matt. xxii. 37. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy mind. 

Prov. xxiii. 26. My son, give me thine heart. 

Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing : but in every thing 
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your 
requests be made known unto God. 

Col. iv. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same 
with thanksgiving. 

Rom. xii. 11. [Be] fervent in spirit, serving the Lord: 
12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing 
instant in prayer. 

Phil. iv. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am, 
therewith to be content. 12. I know both how to be 
abased, and I know how to abound ; every where, and in 
all things I am instructed. See also Tit. ii. 11, 12. 

69th Q. — What is our duty to man ? 

A. — Honour and conscientious obedience to 
those who have the rule over us ; sincerity and 
honesty towards those with whom we have con- 
nexion or intercourse ; and to do good, as far 
as is in our power, to all men, whether they be 
friends, strangers, or enemies. 

Titus iii. 1. Put them in mind to be subject to princi- 
palities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to 
every good work, 2. To speak evil of no man, but [to 
be] gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. 

Rom. vii. 7. Render to all their dues : tribute to whom 
tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, 
honour to whom honour. 



74 fiEVANS' VIEW. 

Titus ii. 1. Speak thou the things which become sound 
doctrine : 2. That the aged men be sober, grave, tem- 
perate, 3. The aged women likewise, that they be in 
behaviour as becometh holiness, 4. That they may teach 
the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, 5. 
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, that the word of 
God be not blasphemed. 6. Young men likewise exhort 
to be sober-minded. 

Col. iii. 18. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own 
husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19. Husbands, love 
your wives and be not bitter against them. 20. Children 
obey your parents ; for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord. 
21. Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they 
be discouraged. 22. Servants, obey in all things your 
masters according to the flesh ; not with eye-service, as 
men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. iv. 

I. Masters give unto your servants that which is just and 
equal, knowing that ye also have a master in heaven. 

Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another, 
with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another, 

II. Not slothful in business. 13. Distributing to the ne- 
cessities of saints, given to hospitality. 14. Bless them 
which persecute you : bless, and curse not. 15. Rejoice 
with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 
16. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low 
estate: Be not wise in your own conceits. 17. Recom- 
pense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in 
the sight of all men. 18. If it be possible, as much as 
lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 

Matt. vii. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would 
that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. 

Isaiah lviii. 7, Is it not to deal thy bread to the hun- 
gry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out, to thy 
house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, 
and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. 

70th Q. — If our Rulers or Governors require 
obedience in things repugnant to our duty to 
God, are we to obey them ? 

A. — Certainly not, as God is to be obeyed 
rather than man. 



BEVANS 5 VIEW. 75 

Acts iv. 18. And they called them, and commanded 
them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. 
19. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, 
Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto 
you more than unto God, judge ye. 

Acts v. 2 7. And the high priest asked them, 28. Say- 
ing, Did not we straitly command you, that you should 
not teach in this name [of Jesus?] 29, Then Peter and 
the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey 
God rather than man. 

71st Q. — Is this doctrine illustrated by prac- 
tice? 

A. — It is : for instance, several Christians 
have refused to take oaths, as being contrary 
to the express command of our Saviour; and 
to engage in war, as being repugnant in its na- 
ture and principles to the meek and forgiving 
spirit of the Prince of peace, who enjoins us to 
love our enemies, and to do good to them that 
hate us and despitefully entreat us. # 

Matt. v. 34. I say unto you, Swear not at all ; 37. 
But let your communication be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay: for 
whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil. 38. Ye 
have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and 
a tooth for a tooth, 39. But I say unto you, That ye re- 
sist not evil. 44. Love your enemies, bless them that 
curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, 
and persecute you. 

James v. 12. But above all things, my brethren, swear 
not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by 
any other oath ; but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, 
nay; lest you fall into condemnation. 

James iv. 1. From whence come wars and fightings 

* From the works of Justin Martyr, Tatian, Tertullian, Cy- 
prian, and others, it appears that the early Christians considered 
war as repugnant to Christianity. 



70 BEVAXS* VIEW. 

among you ? come they not hence, even of your lusts that 
war in your members. 

Rom. xii. 19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, 
but rather give place unto wrath : for it is written, Ven- 
geance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20. There- 
fore if thine enemy hunger, feed him : if he thirst, give 
him drink : for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on 
his head. 21. Be not overcome of evil, but evercome evil 
with good. 

72nd Q. — Are not good works necessary to 
our justification? 

A. — Certainly they are, for "as the body 
without the spirit is dead, so faith without 
works is dead also." (James ii. 26.) Hence 
faith and works are inseparable from each 
other, with regard to our justification in the 
divine sight. 

James ii. 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that 
faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our 
father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his 
son upon the altar? 22. Seest thou how faith wrought 
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 
24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and 
not by faith only. 

73d Q. — Do we not, by this, ascribe our 
justification to faith and works? 

A. — No, not strictly so, for though we can- 
not be justified without them, they are not, pro- 
perly speaking, the cause of our justification, 
but the new birth or regenerating power of the 
Spirit of Christ within us; from which only 
"living faith and acceptable works can pro- 
ceed." 



BEVANS' VIEW. 77 

Rom. iii. 24. Being justified freely by his grace, through 
the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. 

Rom. xu 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of 
works. 

Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith : 
and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; 10. For 
we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good 
works, which God hath before ordained that we should 
walk in them. 

Titus iii. 5. Not by works of righteousness which we 
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the 
washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 
6. Which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ 
our Saviour: 7. That, being justified by his grace, we 
should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

74th Q. — Is it possible for a Christian, in 
this life, to attain to such a stability in Christ 
that he cannot finally fall away from it ? 

A. — Doubtless; as saith the Scripture, "Him 
that overcometh will I make a pillar in the 
temple of my God, and he shall go no more 
out : and I will write upon him the name of 
my God, and the name of the city of my God, 
which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down 
out of heaven from my God: and I will write 
upon him my new name." (Rev. iii. 12.) So 
also says the apostle Paul, "I am persuaded 
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor 
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor 
any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 
our Lord." (Rom. viii. 38, 39.) 

2 Tim. iv. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have fin- 
ished my course, I have kept the faith. 8. Henceforth 

5 * 



78 BEVAJVS' VIEW. 

there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which 
the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day. 

SECTION V. 

75th Q. — What is it that constitutes the 
characteristic difference between the Christian, 
or spiritually minded man, and the man of the 
world, or carnally minded man ? 

A. — 'The Christian walks in the way of the 
cross and of self-denial ; mortifies his corrupt 
affections and lusts ; and is not conformed to 
the world, but transformed by the renewing of 
his mind, the love of God being the governing 
principle of his conduct. The man of the 
world is at enmity with God, his ways, and 
his people ; the love of the world being the 
governing principle of his conduct, he conforms 
to its crooked policy, pursuing with avidity its 
possessions, pomps, and vanities, and the sinful 
lusts of the flesh. 

Luke ix. 28. And he [Jesus] said to them all, If any 
man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up 
his cross daily, and follow me. 

Luke xiv. 27. Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and 
come after me, cannot be my disciple. 

Gal. v. 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified 
the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Rom. viii. 13. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the 
deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom. xii. 2. Be not conformed to this world : but be 
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye 
may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect 
will of God. 

1 John ii. 5. Whoso keepeth his [Christ's] word, in 
him verily is the love of God perfected. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 79 

1 John iv. 19. We love him, because he first loved us. 
7. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; 
and every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth 
God. 

John xv. 17. These things I command you, that ye 
love one another. 18. If the world hate you, ye know 
that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of 
the world, the world would love its own : but because ye 
are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the 
world, therefore the world hateth you. 

James iv. 4. Know ye not that the friendship of the 
world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a 
friend of the world, is the enemy of God. 

1 John ii. 15. Love not the world, neither the things 
that are in the world. If any man love the world, the 
love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in 
the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and 
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 
17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof. 

Rom. viii. 6. To be carnally minded is death ; but to 
be spiritually minded is life and peace: 7. Because the 
carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to 
the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8. So then they 
that are in the flesh, cannot please God. 

Rom. i. 28. And even as they did not like to retain 
God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a repro- 
bate mind, to do those things which are not convenient : 
29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, co- 
vetousness, maliciousness : full of envy, murder, deceit, 
malignity: 30. Backbiters, haters of God, proud, disobe- 
dient to parents, 31. Without natural affection, unmerci- 
ful : 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, (that they 
which commit such things are worthy of death) not only 
do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

76th Q. — What is the Christian's hope after 
death ? 

A. — That he shall, when he puts off this 
mortal body, enjoy the beatific presence of his 
God and Redeemer, receive a crown of glory, 



80 BEVANS' VIEW. 

and obtain an inheritance among the saints in 
light, that is incorruptible, undefiled, emd that 
endureth for ever. 

Mark x. 29. There is no man that hath left house, or 
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or chil- 
dren, or lands for my sake and the gospel's, 30. But he 
shall receive an hundred fold now in this time, with perse- 
cutions ; and in the world to come eternal life. 

Prov. xiv. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death. 

John x. 27. My sheep hear my voice, and I know 
them, and they follow me : 28. And I give unto them 
eternal life; and they shall never perish. 

John xi. 25. And Jesus said unto her [Martha], I am 
the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, 
though he were dead, yet shall he live : 26. And whoso- 
ever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. 

Rom. ii. 6. Who [God] will render to every man ac- 
cording to his deeds ; 7. To them, who by patient con- 
tinuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and 
immortality; eternal life. 

Gal. vi. 8. He that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the 
Spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary 
in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint 
not. 

2 Cor. v. 6. Therefore we are always confident, know- 
ing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent 
from the Lord : 7. (For we walk by faith, not by sight.) 
8. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ab- 
sent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 

Phil. i. 19. I know that this shall turn to my salvation. 
20. According to my earnest expectation and my hope, 
that as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in 
my body, whether it be by life or by death. 21. For to 
me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22. But if I live 
in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour; yet what I shall 
choose, I wot not. 23. For I am in a strait between two, 
having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is 
far better: 24. Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh, is more 
needful for you. 



be vans' view. 81 

Col. i. 11. Strengthened with all might according to 
his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering 
with joyfulness ; 12. Giving thanks unto the Father, 
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inherit- 
ance of the saints in light. 

Titus i. 1. Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of 
Jesus Christ, 2. In hope of eternal life, which God, that 
cannot lie, promised before the world began. 

2 Tim. iv. 6. I am ready to be offered, and the time of 
my departure is at hand. 8. Henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the 
righteous judge, shall give me at that day. 

1 Peter i. 8. Blessed be the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy, 
hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resur- 
rection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inherit- 
ance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 
reserved in heaven for you.. 

77th Q. — What is the prospect that awaits 
the wicked after death ? 

A. — An awful separation from God and the 
spirits of the just; and an entrance into that 
place of torment "where their worm dieth not, 
and the fire is not quenched." 

John viii. 21. Then said Jesus unto them, I go my 
way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins : 
whither I go ye cannot come. 23. Ye are from beneath; 
I am from above : ye are of this world ; I am not of this 
world. 24. I said therefore unto you, That ye shall die 
in your sins : for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall 
die in your sins. 

1 Cor. vi. 9. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall 
not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Psalm ix. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell. 

Luke xvi. 22. The rich man also died and was buried. 
23. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. 

Rev. xxi. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving shall have 



82 BEVANS' VIEW. 

their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brim- 
stone. 

Mark ix. 43. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it 
is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than, having 
two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be 
quenched: 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire 
is not quenched. 

78th Q. — Has not God appointed a day to 
judge the world ? 

A.— Yes, so we read in the Scriptures, and 
that at the end of the world, our Lord Jesus 
Christ will come to judge the living and the 
dead, when the dead shall arise from their 
graves and appear before the judgment seat of 
Christ, and every man be rewarded according 
to his w r orks done in the body: the wicked 
" shall go away into everlasting punishment ; 
but the righteous into life eternal." 

Acts xvii. 31. He [God] hath appointed a day in the 
which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that 
man whom he hath ordained. 

Matt. xiii. 36. He [Jesus] answered and said unto them, 
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man ; 38. 
The field is the world ; the good seed are the children of 
the kingdom ; but the tares are the children of the wicked 
one: 39. The enemy that sowed them, is the devil: the 
harvest is the end of the world : the reapers are the an- 
gels. 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burnt 
in the fire; so shall it be at the end of this world. 41. 
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they 
shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and 
them which do iniquity; 42. And shall cast them into a 
furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of 
teeth. 43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the 
sun in the kingdom of their Father. 

Matt. xxv. 31. When the Son of Man shall come in 
his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he 



BEVANS' VIEW. 83 

sit upon the throne of his glory. 32. And before him 
shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall separate them 
one from another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from 
the goats : 33. And he shall set the sheep on his right 
hand, but the goats on the left. 34. Then shall the King 
say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world. 41. Then shall he say also unto 
them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into 
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. 46. 
And these" shall go away into everlasting punishment, but 
the righteous into life eternal. 

John v. 26. For as the Father hath life in himself; so 
hath he given the Son to have life in himself; 28. Marvel 
not at this ; for the hour is coming, in the which all that 
are in their graves shall hear his voice, 29. And shall 
come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrec- 
tion of life ; and they that have done evil unto the resur- 
rection of damnation. 

Matt. xi. 21. Wo unto thee, Chorazin ! wo unto thee 
Bethsaida ! for if the mighty works which were done in 
you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have 
repented long ago in dust and ashes. 22. But I say unto 
you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the 
day of judgment than for you. 

2 Peter iii. 3. There shall come in the last days scoff- 
ers, walking after their own lusts, 4. And saying, Where 
is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell 
asleep, all things continue as they were from the begin- 
ning of the creation. 5. For this they willingly are igno- 
rant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, 
and the earth standing out of the water and in the water : 
6. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed 
with water, perished. 7. But the heavens and the earth 
which are now, by the same word are kept in store, re- 
served unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition 
of ungodly men. 8. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this 
one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand 
years, and a thousand years as one day. 11. Seeing then 
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of 
persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godli- 



84 BEVANS' VIEW. 

ness ; 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of 
the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall 
be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 
13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for 
new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteous- 
ness. See Acts i. 11. 1 Thess. iv. 14 — 18. 

See also the Proofs to the 51st Answer. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 85 



CHAPTER IV- 
SECTION L 

79th Q. — What is the nature of the worship 
which God requires of man ? 

A. — It is spiritual : God requires us to wor- 
ship him in spirit and in truth ; and this may 
be without limitation to time or place, for wor- 
ship, being an act of the soul towards God, who 
is a Spirit, does not necessarily require the in- 
tervention of bodily exercise to make it accept- 
able to him. 

John iv. 21. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, 
the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, 
nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. 23. But the 
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall 
worship the Father in spirit and in truth ; for the Father 
seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit; and 
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in 
truth. 

Phil. iii. 3. For we are the circumcision, which wor- 
ship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have 
no confidence in the flesh. 

80th Q. — -Though worship is not limited to 
time or place, is it not our duty to meet together 
at certain times publicly, to worship God ? 

A. — It is incumbent on us to meet together 
for public worship, as a testimony of our duty 
to God, and of our dependence on him for a 
renewal of our spiritual strength, as also to hold 
forth the nature of the true worship to others, 

6 



86 BEVANS' VIEW. 

Psalm xcvi. 7. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of 
the people, 8. The glory due to his name: bring an of- 
fering, and come into his courts. 9. O worship the Lord 
in the beauty of holiness : fear before him, all the earth. 

Psalm lxxxvi. 9. All nations whom thou hast made 
shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall 
glorify thy name. 

Rom. xii. 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the 
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacri- 
fice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
service. 

Heb. x. 24. And let us consider one another, to pro- 
voke unto love and to good works : 25. Not forsaking, 
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of 
some is. 

Rev. xv. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and 
glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations 
shall come and worship before thee. 

81st Q. — What is our duty when thus as- 
sembled together ? 

A. — To wait upon the Lord in silence, and 
endeavour to preserve the mind from dwelling 
on thoughts which arise from the activity of 
the imagination; that the life and power of 
Christ may be felt to calm the soul, to bring 
every thought into subjection, to produce a real 
inward silence, and afford a true sense of its 
state; when even a single sigh, arising from 
such a sense, will be acceptable to God, because 
of his own begetting ; for it is only his own 
works that can praise him. 

Psalm xxvii. 14. Wait on the Lord : be of good cou- 
rage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on 
the Lord. 

Psalm lxii. 5. My soul, wait thou only upon God : for 
my expectation is from him. 6. He only is my rock and 
my salvation. 



BEVANS* VIEW. 87 

Psalm xlvi. 10. Be still, and know that I am God. 

Zech. ii. 13. Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord. 

Isaiah xli. 1. Keep silence before me, O islands; and 
let the people renew their strength. 

Isaiah xl. 28. Hast thou not known? hast thou not 
heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of 
the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there 
is no searching of his understanding. 29. He giveth 
power to the faint; and to them that have no mi^ht he 
increaseth strength. 30. Even the youths shall faint and 
be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. 31. But 
they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; 
they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, 
and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Isaiah li. 5. The isles shall wait upon me, and on mine 
arm shall they trust. 

Rom. viii. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our in- 
firmities : for we know not what we should pray for as we 
ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with 
groanings which cannot be uttered. 

Psalm cxlv. 10. All thy works shall praise thee, O 
Lord. 

82nd Q. — What are the advantages derived 
by Christians from thus meeting together for 
the exercise of public worship ? 

A. — Those who, by a travail of spirit, are 
inwardly gathered to the one source of light 
and life for a renewal of their spiritual strength, 
become helpful to each other : the life flowing 
from Christ the head, (who is spiritually present 
according to his promise,) to his members, the 
circulation of it among them, as from vessel to 
vessel, produces the communion and fellowship 
of the saints, by which, one member feeling for 
and sympathizing with another, all are edified. 

Matt, xviii. 20. Where two or three are gathered to- 
gether in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 



88 BEVANS' VIEW. 

1 Cor. xii. 12. As the body is one, and hath many 
members, and all the members of that one body, being 
many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13. For by one 
Spirit are we all baptized into one body, and have been all 
made to drink into one Spirit. 14. For the body is not 
one member, but many. 21. And the eye cannot say unto 
the hand, I have no need of thee ; nor again, the head to 
the feet, I have no need of you. 22. Nay, much more 
those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble 
are necessary. 25. That there should be no schism in the 
body ; but that the members should have the same care 
one for another. 28. And whether one member suffer, all 
the members suffer with it : or one member be honoured, 
all the members rejoice with it. 

1 Peter ii. 5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a 
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual 
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

83d Q. — Are not prayer and praise a part of 
divine worship ? 

A. — Doubtless, and may be either mental or 
vocal. Mental prayer is the turning of the mind 
to God, when the soul, awakened by the Spirit 
of Christ, and bowed under a sense of its wants 
and unworthiness, looks up to God, and breathes 
forth its desires without words. Vocal prayer 
is, when it feels an influence of the Spirit to ex- 
press audible words, either in public assemblies 
or in private. In like manner praise and thanks- 
giving may be either mental or vocal. 

Matt. vi. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy closet, 
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father 
which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, 
shall reward thee openly. 

Matt. xxvi. 41. Watch and pray, that ye enter not 
into temptation ; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh 
is weak. 



bevan's view. 89 

Eph. v. 18. Be filled with the Spirit. 19. Speaking 
to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, 
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. 
20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the 
Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Eph. vi. 18. Praying always with all prayer and sup- 
plication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all per- 
severance, and supplication for all saints. 

Col. iy. 2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same 
with thanksgiving. 

1 Thess. v. 17. Pray without ceasing. 18. In every 
thing give thanks. 

1 Tim. ii. 8. I will therefore that men pray every 
where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. 

Heb. xiii. 15. By him [Jesus] therefore let us offer the 
sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of 
our lips, giving thanks to his name. 

See also the Proofs to the 59th and 81st Answers. 

84th Q. — Did our Saviour teach his disciples 
how to express themselves in prayer ? 

A. — He did, and cautioned them not to use 
vain repetitions, but to pray after this manner: 
"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed 
be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will 
be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us 
this day our daily bread. # And forgive us our 
debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us 
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." 
(Matt. vi. 9—13.) 

Matt. vi. 7. But when ye pray, use not vain repeti- 
tions, as the heathen do : for they think that they shall be 



* The context requires us to consider this petition as referring 
principally, if not wholly, to that spiritual bread which nourish- 
ed up the soul unto eternal life, for as doth the body, so doth 
the spiritual life need daily food to sustain it. 



90 BEVANS' VIEW. 

heard for their much speaking. 8. Be not ye therefore 
like unto them; for your Father knovveth what things ye 
stand in need of, before ye ask him. 9. After this man- 
ner therefore pray ye: Our Father, &c. as above. See 
also Luke xi. 2 — 4. 

85th Q. — Did our Saviour enjoin his disci- 
ples to use this form of words whenever they 
prayed vocally ? 

A. — We do not read that he did, but he 
enjoined them to pray after such a manner: 
hence it may be inferred they were to adopt the 
spirit of that prayer in their addresses to the 
throne of grace, and avoid unnecessary and su- 
perfluous expressions ; as appears from what we 
meet with in other parts of the Scripture on the 
subject of prayer. 

Luke xviii. 10. Two men went up into the temple to 
pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11. 
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God 3 I 
thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, 
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12. I fast 
twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13. 
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so 
much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, 
saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, 
this man went down to his house justified rather than the 
other. 

Acts iv. 23. And being let go, they [Peter and John] 
went to their own company, and reported all that the chief 
priests and elders had said unto them. 24. And when 
they heard that, they lifted up their voice with one accord, 
and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven and 
earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25. Who by 
the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the 
heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26. 
The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were ga- 



BEVANS' VIEW. 91 

thered together, against the Lord, and against his Christ. 
27. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom 
thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with 
the gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered to- 
gether, 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy coun- 
sel determined before to be done. 29. And now, Lord, 
behold their threatenings ; and grant unto thy servants, 
that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30. By 
stretching forth thine hand to heal ; and that signs and 
wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 
31. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken 
where they were assembled together; and they were all 
filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of 
God with boldness. 

Eph. iii. 14. For this cause I bow my knees unto the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15. Of whom the whole 
family hi heaven and earth is named, 16. That he would 
grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be 
strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man ; 
17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith ; that 
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May be able 
to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and 
length, and depth, and height ; 19. And to know the love 
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be 
filled with all the fulness of God. 20. Now unto him 
that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we 
ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 
21. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, 
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. 

See also Acts i. 24, 25. 

SECTION II. 

86th Q- — What are the qualifications of a 
gospel minister ? 

A.— He must have experienced the regenera- 
ting power of the Spirit of Christ, by which only 
a true knowledge of the things of God and of 
his kingdom is revealed. 



$2 BEVANS* VIEW, 

Rom. viii. 5. For they that are after the flesh, do 
mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the 
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 8. So then they that are 
in the flesh cannot please God. 9. But ye are not in the 
flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God 
dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of 
Christ, he is none of his. 

1 Cor. ir. 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a 
mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained 
before the world unto our glory: 8. Which none of the 
princes of this world knew. 10. But God hath revealed 
them unto us by his Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth all 
things, yea, the deep things of God. 13, Which things 
also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom 
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing 
spiritual things with spiritual. 14. But the natural man 
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are 
foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because 
they are spiritually discerned. 

87th Q. — Is the above experience sufficient 
of itself to qualify for the work of the ministry? 

A. — No, for though a man cannot be qualified 
without it, yet it is further requisite that he re- 
ceive an immediate call from God to preach the 
gospel, being " inwardly moved by the Holy 
Ghost" to take upon himself the office ; and in 
the performance of the various duties of the 
ministry committed to him, he must act under 
the same divine influence. 

Luke xxiv. 44. And he [Jesus] said unto them [his 
disciples,] These are the words which I spake unto you 
while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, 
which were written in the law of Moses, and in the pro- 
phets, and in the psalms concerning me. 45. Then open- 
ed he their understanding, that they might understand the 
Scriptures, 46. And said unto them, Thus it is written, 
and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the 



BEVANS' VIEW. 93 

dead the third day : 47. And that repentance and remis- 
sion of sins should be preached in his name, among all 
nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48. And ye are wit- 
nesses of these things. 49. And behold I send the pro- 
mise of my Father upon you : but tarry ye in the city of 
Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 

Acts i. 4. And [Jesus] being assembled together with 
them, commanded them that they should not depart from 
Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, 
saith he, ye have heard of me. 5. For John truly bap- 
tized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy 
Ghost, not many days hence. 8. Ye shall receive power 
after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you : and ye shall 
be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, 
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

Matt, xxviii. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost ; 20. Teaching them to observe 
all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I 
am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

Acts ii. 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully 
come, they [the disciples] were all with one accord in one 
place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, 
as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house 
where they were sitting. 3. And there appeared unto 
them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each 
of them : 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, 
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave 
them utterance. 

Gal. i. 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel 
which was preached of me, is not after man. 12. For I 
neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by 
the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

1 Tim. i. 9. Knowing this, that the law is not made 
for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient. 
10. And if there be any other thing that is contrary to 
sound doctrine, 11. According to the glorious gospel of 
the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12. 
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, 
for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the minis- 
try. 



94 BEVANS' VIEW. 

Rom. xii. 4. As we have many members in one body, 
and all members have not the same office; 5. So we, 
being many, are one body in Christ, and every one mem- 
bers one of another. 6. Having then gifts differing ac- 
cording to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, 
let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith ; 7. 
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that 
teacheth, on teaching. 

2 Cor. iii. 5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves 
to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of 
God; 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the 
new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the 
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

2 Cor. iv. 1. Therefore seeing we have this ministry, 
as we have received mercy, we faint not: 2. But having 
renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in 
craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but 
by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to 
every man's conscience in the sight of God. 

1 Peter iv. 10. As every man hath received the gift, 
even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards 
of the manifold grace of God. 11. If any man speak, let 
him speak as the oracles of God ; if any man minister, let 
him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in 
all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to whom 
be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 

S8th Q. — Is this inward call a sufficient qua- 
lification for the office of the ministry without 
the aid of human learning ? 

A. — The apostles and first ministers of the 
gospel, than whom none were better qualified 
to fulfil the duties of the ministry, were gener- 
ally illiterate; and since the gospel, and the 
office of the ministry, continue the same in their 
nature as in the apostles' days ; so the same 
divine call and influence remain sufficient with- 
out the aid of human learning. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 95 

Matt. xi. 25. At that time Jesus answered and said, I 
thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because 
thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and 
hast revealed them unto babes. 26. Even so, Father, for 
so it seemed good in thy sight. 

Acts iv. 13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter 
and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ig- 
norant men, they marvelled, and they took knowledge of 
them, that they had been with Jesus. 

1 Cor. i. 17. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but 
to preach the gospel : not with wisdom of words, lest the 
cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 19. For it 
is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will 
bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20. 
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the dis- 
puter of this world ? hath not God made foolish the wisdom 
of this world ? 26. For ye see your calling, brethren, how 
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, 
not many noble are called. 27. But God hath chosen the 
foolish things of the world, to confound the wise ; and God 
hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the 
things which are mighty ; 28. And base things of the 
world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, 
yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things 
that are : 29. That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

1 Cor. ii. 1. And I, brethren, when I came to you, 
came not with excellency of speech, or of wisdom, de- 
claring unto you the testimony of God. 2. For I deter- 
mined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, 
and him crucified. 3. And I was with you in weakness, 
and in fear, and in much trembling. 4. And my speech, 
and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's 
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and of power. 
5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, 
but in the power of God. 

Gal. i. 9. As we said before, so I say now again, If 
any man preach any other gospel unto you, than that ye 
have received, let him be accursed. 10. For do I now 
persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if 
I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 



96 BEVANS* VIEW* 

S9th Q. — Is the aid of human learning then 
entirely precluded ? 

A.— No, for though it is not essential to gos- 
pel ministry, it may nevertheless be of subordi- 
nate use. 

90th Q. — Are ministers of the gospel author- 
ized to receive hire for preaching the gospel? 

A. — -No : as this holy unadulterated gift of 
God is not to be purchased by money, but is 
freely committed to chosen instruments ; so 
neither is it to be made a trade of, but is to be 
freely dispensed to others. 

Matt. x. 7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The king- 
dom of heaven is at hand. 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the 
lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have re- 
ceived, freely give. 

Acts viii. 18. And when Simon saw that through lay- 
ing on of the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was given, 
he offered them money, 19. Saying, Give me also this 
power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive 
the Holy Ghost. 20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money 
perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of 
God may be purchased with money. 21. Thou hast nei- 
ther part nor lot in this matter : for thy heart is not right 
in the sight of God. 

Acts xx. 33. I [Paul] have coveted no man's silver, or 
gold, or apparel. 34. Yea, you yourselves know, that 
these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to 
them which were with me. 

2 Cor. xii. 14. Behold, the third time I [Paul] am 
ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to 
you ; for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought 
not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the child- 
ren. 15. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for 






BEVANS* VIEW. 97 

you, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be 
loved. 

91st Q. — But may not ministers on some oc- 
casions accept of temporal assistance, if freely 
offered to them ? 

A. — Yes, they undoubtedly may for their pre- 
sent support, when they are travelling from home 
in the work of the ministry. 

Matt. x. 9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass 
in your purses: 10. Nor scrip for your journey, neither 
two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves ; (for the workman 
is worthy of his meat.) 

1 Cor. ix. 7. Who goeth a warfare any time at his 
own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of 
the fruit thereof? 11. If we have sown unto you spiritual 
things, is if a great thing if we shall reap your carnal 
things? 12. If others be partakers of this power over 
you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used 
this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the 
gospel of Christ. 13. Do you not know that they which 
minister about holy things, live of the things of the temple? 
14. Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which 
preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. 15. But I 
have used none of these things. Neither have I written 
these things that it should be so done unto me : for it were 
better for me to die, than any man should make my glo- 
rying void. 16. For though I preach the gospel, I have 
nothing to glory of; for a necessity is laid upon me ; yea, 
wo is unto me if I preach not the gospel. 18. What is 
my reward then? verily that when I preach the gospel, I 
may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse 
not my power in the gospel. 

92nd Q. — Is any person, on account of dif- 
ference of sex or station, excluded from the 
ministry ? 



98 BEVANS* VIEW. 

A. — No, these distinctions among men are 
lost in Christ; for whether male or female, 
bond or free, they are all one in him. Christ 
frequently displays the efficacious power of his 
grace by choosing those that are esteemed weak 
and foolish, to confound the wise and mighty of 
this world. 

Joel ii. 28. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I 
will pour out my spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons and 
your daughters shall prophesy. 29. And also upon the 
servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I 
pour out my spirit. 

Acts ii. 4. And they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit 
gave them utterance. 5. And there were dwelling at 
Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under 
heaven. 6. Now when this was noised abroad, the mul- 
titude came together, and were confounded, because that 
every man heard them speak in his own language. 7. 
And they were all amazed, and marvelled, saving one to 
another, Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? 
8. And how hear we every man in our own tongue, 
wherein we were born? 13. Others mocking, said, These 
men are full of new wine. 14. But Peter, standing up 
with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye 
men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this 
known unto you, and hearken to my words : 15. For 
these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the 
third hour of the day. 16. But this is that which was 
spoken by the prophet Joel ; 17. And it shall come to 
pass, &c. 

Acts xxi. 8. And we entered into the house of Philip 
the evangelist, (which was one of the seven,) and abode 
with him. 9. And the same man had four daughters, vir- 
gins, which did prophesy. 

Gal. iii. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in 
Christ Jesus. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek; there 
is neither bond nor free; there is neither male nor female; 
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 



BEVANs' VIEW. 99 

See also the Proofs to the 88th Answer. 

93d Q. — What are the benefits attendant on 
a gospel ministry ? 

A. — God thereby affords strength to the 
weak, encouragement to the desponding, and 
life to the spiritually dead : indeed a call to the 
ministry is a call to awaken mankind to a sense 
of their sinful state by nature, " to open their 
eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, 
and from the power of satan unto God ;" bap- 
tizing them into the name or power of the Fa- 
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

Isaiah xxxv. 3. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and 
confirm the feeble knees. 4. Say to them that are of a 
fearful heart, be strong, fear not. 

Luke xxii. 31. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, be- 
hold satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift 
you as wheat : 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy 
faith fail not; and when thou art converted strengthen thy 
brethren. 

Acts xxvi. 15. And I [Paul] said, Who art thou, Lord ? 
And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16. But 
rise, and stand upon thy feet ; for I have appeared unto 
thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a wit- 
ness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of 
those things in the which I will appear unto thee ; 17. 
Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, 
unto whom now I send thee; 18. To open their eyes, and 
to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power 
of satan unto God; that they may receive forgiveness of 
sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified, by 
faith that is in me. 

1 Cor. iv. 14. I write not these things to shame you, 
but as my beloved sons I warn you. 15. For though ye 
have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not 
many fathers ; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you 
through the gospel. 



100 BEVANS 9 VIEW. 

1 Thess. v. 14. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn 
ihem that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support 
the weak, be patient toward all men. 

Heb. xii. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and 
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 11. Now no 
chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but griev- 
ous : nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit 
of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 
12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and 
the feeble knees. 

Eph. iv. 11. And he [Christ] gave some, apostles: and 
some prophets: and some, evangelists: and some, pastors 
and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints; for 
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of 
Christ. See also Matt, xxviii. 18, 19, 20. 



SECTION III. 

94th Q. — Do those ministers then, whose 
preaching is " in demonstration of the Spirit 
and of power," baptize the believing hearer 
with the baptism of Christ ? 

A. — They do, or rather the divine power of 
Christ does it through them as instruments. 

Acts x. 44. While Peter yet spake these words, the 
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 

Acts xi. 15. And as I [Peter] began to speak, the Holy 
Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. 16. Then 
remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, 
John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized 
with the Holy Ghost. 

95th Q. — Is this Baptism experienced only 
through the medium of preaching ? 

A. — No, the soul feels the baptizing power 
of Christ, not only mediately through his min- 



BEVANS' VIEW. 101 

isters, but also immediately through the reno- 
vating power of the Holy Ghost operating upon 
it ; whereby, being cleansed from its most se- 
cret corruptions, it is purified, and fitted for 
communion with the Father and with the Son. 
It was thus, without the medium of preaching, 
that the disciples were baptized with the Holy 
Ghost on the day of Pentecost. 

Matt. iii. 11. He [Christ] shall baptize you with the 
Holy Ghost, and with fire : 12. Whose fan is in his hand, 
and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his 
wheat into his garner, but will burn up the chaff with un- 
quenchable fire. 

Isaiah xiiv. 3. 1 will pour water upon him that is 
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my 
Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine off- 
spring. 

John vii. 37. In the last day, that great day of the 
feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let 
him come unto me, and drink. 38. He that believeth on 
me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow 
rivers of living water, 39. (But this spake he of the 
Spirit, which they that believe on him, should receive: 
for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus 
was not yet glorified.) 

1 Cor. xii. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized 
into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether 
we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into 
one Spirit. 

Gal. iii. 26. For ye are all children of God by faith in 
Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as have been bap- 
tized into Christ, have put on Christ. See also Acts ii. 1 
to 3, in the Proofs to the 87th Answer. 

96th Q. — Was there not an outward baptism 
with water that was at one time practised by a 
commission from heaven ? 

A. — Yes. 

6* 






102 BEVANS' VIEW. 

See the Proofs to the 98th Answer. 

97th Q. — Who received the commission to 
baptize with water ? 

A. — John, on that account styled the Baptist, 
who was the fore-runner of Christ, the Elias that 
was to come to prepare his way, as foretold by 
the prophets. 

See the Proofs to the following Answer. 

98th Q. — In what consisted the difference be- 
tween the baptism of John and the baptism of 
Christ? 

A. — John baptized the body with water; his 
baptism was therefore of an outward, elemen- 
tary nature : whereas Christ baptizes the soul 
with the Holy Ghost, which, from its purifying 
and penetrating nature, is compared to the ele- 
ment of fire. 

Luke iii. 2. The word of God came to John the son of 
Zacharias in the wilderness. 3. And he came into all the 
country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance 
for the remission of sins; 4. As it is written in the words 
of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in 
the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his 
paths straight. 5. Every valley shall be filled, and every 
mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked 
shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made 
smooth; 6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 

Mark i. 5. And there went out unto him all the land 
of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of 
him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 

Luke iii. 15. And as the people were in expectation, 
and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he 
were the Christ, or not; 16. John answered, saying unto 
them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier 



bevanV view. 103 

than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy 
to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and 
with fire. 17. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will 
thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into 
his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquench- 
able. 

John i. 33. And I knew him not : but he that sent me 
to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom 
thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, 
the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34. 
And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God. 

John iii. 30. He [Jesus] must increase, but I [John] 
must decrease. 

Luke vii. 24. And when the messengers of John were 
departed, he [Jesus] began to speak unto the people con- 
cerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to 
see? 26. A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much 
more than a prophet. 27. This is be of whom it is writ- 
ten, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which 
shall prepare thy way before thee. 28. For I say unto 
you, Among those that are born of women, there is not a 
greater prophet than John the Baptist : but he that is least 
in the kingdom of God is greater than he. 

Matt. xi. 13. All the prophets and the law prophesied 
until John. 14. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias 
which was for to come. 

See also the Proofs to the 87th, 94th, and 95th Answers. 

99th Q.— Did Christ enjoin that Water Bap- 
tism should be practised as a gospel ordinance 
in his church? 

A. — It does not appear that he did: Paul 
who, whether we consider his gifts or his zeal 
and labours in the gospel, was inferior to none 
of the apostles, says expressly that he was not 
sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel. 

See the Proofs to the next Answer. 



104 BEVANS' VIEW. 

100th Q. — Did not the apostles baptize with 
water, and if so, are we to conclude from their 
practice that it was an institution of Christ ? 

A. — Though some of the apostles did bap- 
tize with water, that no more proves it to be 
an institution of Christ, than their adherence 
to the ceremonial law of Moses, proves that 
his law was not fulfilled and superseded by the 
coming of Christ : for the apostle Paul acknow- 
ledges he had baptized some individuals, though 
he had not, according to his own confession, 
received any commission so to do. 

John iii. 22. After these things came Jesus and his 
disciples into the land of Judea, and there he tarried with 
them and baptized. 

John iv. 1. When therefore the Lord knew how the 
pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more 
disciples than John, 2. (Though Jesus himself baptized 
not, but his disciples,) 3. He left Judea. 

Acts viii. 36. And as they went on their way, they 
came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, See, 
here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37. 
And Philip said, If thou'believest with all thine heart thou 
mayest. 38. And they went down both into the water, 
both Philip and the eunuch ; and he baptized him. 

Acts xxi. 20. They [the Apostle James and others] 
said unto him [Paul], Thou seest, brother, how many 
thousands of Jews there are which believe, and they are 
all zealous of the Law. 21. And they are informed of 
thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the 
Gentiles, to forsake Moses, saying, that they ought not to 
circumcise their children, neither to walk after the cus- 
toms. 22. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs 
come together; for they will hear that thou art come. 23. 
Do therefore this that we say to thee : we have four men 
which have a vow on them; 24. Them take and purify 
thyself with them, that they may shave their heads : and 



BEVANS' VIEW. 105 

all may know that those things whereof they were in- 
formed concerning thee, are nothing, but that thou thyself 
also walkest orderly, and keepest the Law. 

1 Cor. i. 14. I thank God that I baptized none of you, 
but Crispus and Gaius, 15. Lest any should say, that I 
had baptized in mine own name. 16. And I baptized also 
the household of Stephanas : besides, I know not whether 
I baptized any other. 17. For Christ sent me not to bap- 
tize, but. to preach the Gospel. 

101 st Q. — Why did the apostles conform to 
ceremonial rites that were superseded and abol- 
ished by the Christian dispensation ? 

A. — Not to mention, that as Jews it was 
difficult for them at once to break off all ob- 
servance of the ritual Law, in some instances 
they were induced from the early state of the 
church, to be in those respects, as weak to 
those who were weak. 

1 Cor. ix. 19. Though I be free from all men, yet have 
I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the 
more. 20. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I 
might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as 
under the law, that I might gain them that are under the 
law; 21. To them that are without law, as without law, 
(being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ), 
that I might gain them that are without law. 22. To the 
weak became I as weak; I am made all things to all men, 
that I might by all means save some. 

See also Acts xxi. 20 to 23, among the Proofs to the 
100th Answer. 

SECTION IV. 

102nd Q. — What was the Supper which 
Christ ate with his disciples, the night before 
his crucifixion ? 



106 BEVANS 9 VIEW. 

A. — The Jewish Passover instituted by Mo- 
ses, and was typical of the spiritual nourish- 
ment the soul receives from a participation of 
the body and blood of Christ purchased for us 
by his death. 

Luke xxii. 7. Then came the day of unleavened bread, 
when the passover must be killed. 8. And he [Jesus] sent 
Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, 
that we may eat. 13. And they made ready the pass- 
over. 14. And when the hour was come he sat down, 
and the twelve apostles with him. 15. And he said unto 
them, with desire I have desired to eat this passover with 
you before I suffer. 16. For I say unto you, I will not 
any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of 
God. 17. And he took the cup and gave thanks, and 
said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18. For 
I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, 
until the kingdom of God shall come. 19. And he took 
bread, and gave thanks and brake it, and gave unto them, 
saying, This is my body which is given for you : this do 
in remembrance of me. 20. Likewise also the cup after 
supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, 
which is shed for you. 

Matt. xxvi. 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took 
bread and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the dis- 
ciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27. And 
he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
saying, Drink ye all of it: 28. For this is my blood of 
the new testament, which is shed for many for the remis- 
sion of sins. 29. But I say unto you, I will not drink 
henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I 
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. See also 
Mark xiv. 12 to 25. 1 Cor. xi. 20 to 26. 

See also the Proofs to the 107th Answer. 

103d Q. — When our Saviour brake the bread 
and said "Do this in remembrance of me," did 



BEVANS' VIEW. 107 

he perpetuate the Jewish Passover as an ordi- 
nance of the Christian church ? 

A. — Such a conclusion is not authorized by 
the Scriptures: the disciples to whom Christ 
addressed these words were Jews, who were 
therefore desired by him, whenever they ate 
the Jewish Passover, to do it in remembrance 
of him the true paschal Lamb and bread of 
life.* 

1 Cor. xi. 23. For I received of the Lord that which 
also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same 
night in which he was betrayed, took bread ; 24. And 
when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take 
eat; this is my body, which is broken for you : this do in 
remembrance of me. 25. After the same manner also he 
took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the 
new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink 
it; in remembrance of me. 26. For as often as ye eat this 
bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till 
he come. 

104th Q. — What further reason is there to 
conclude, that our Lord's injunction respecting 
the bread and wine, is not to be understood as 
of universal obligation ? 

A. — The following reason may be assigned : 
the apostle John informs us that after the Sup- 



* That the injunction was not designed to extend beyond the 
disciples who w T ere of the circumcision, (though others might 
unite in the practice,) appears most probable from the time being 
limited, or at least so understood by the apostle Paul, to the 
coming of Christ; which may, consistently with the opinion of 
the best commentators on the Sacred Writings, advert to his 
coming to end completely the Jewish polity by the destruction 
of Jerusalem and the temple. 



108 BEVANS* VIEW. 

per was ended, our blessed Lord washed his 
disciples' feet, and commanded them to follow 
his example and wash each other's feet ; yet 
this command, though more strongly enforced 
than the other, is not considered by Christians 
in general, as obligatory at the present day. 

John xiii. 4. He [Jesus] riseth from supper, and laid 
aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 
5. After that, he poureth water into a bason, and began to 
wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel 
wherewith he was girded. 6. Then cometh he to Simon 
Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my 
feet? 7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do 
thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8. 
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. 
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part 
with me. 12. So after he had washed their feet, and had 
taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto 
them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13. Ye call 
me Master, and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14. 
If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, 
ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15. For I have 
given you an example, that ye should do as I have done 
to you. 

105th Q. — Why is it not obligatory? 

A. — Because, as our Saviour's former com- 
mand referred to a Jewish rite, now superseded, 
so this referred to an Eastern custom that does 
not prevail in the West; and therefore though 
his immediate followers whom he addressed, 
might literally obey his command, the spirit of 
it is all that is considered obligatory to the 
Christian church, namely, a readiness to do the 
most humble offices of love for our brethren. 



BEVANS' VIEW. 109 

106th Q. — Did not this act of our Lord also 
convey further instruction? 

A. — It evidently did. From the words of 
our Lord to Peter, "If I wash thee not, thou 
hast no part with me," it appears that he de- 
signed to impress upon his disciples the neces- 
sity of the inward washing of regeneration ; 
which cleanses the soul from the pollution of 
sin, and fits it for communion with him. 

See the Proof to the 104th Answer. 

107th Q. — Is there not a Supper of our Lord 
mentioned in the Scriptures, of which Chris- 
tions partake, and by which they have commu- 
nion with him? 

A. — There is; our Saviour adverted to it 
when he ate the Jewish Passover with his dis- 
ciples, as well as on other occasions. By it 
the soul partakes of the bread of life which 
comes down from heaven, and of the new wine 
of the kingdom, which nourish the soul up unto 
eternal life : or in other words, the Supper is 
an inward and spiritual participation of the 
body and blood of Christ ; for as the outward 
body cannot subsist without material food, so 
neither can the divine life subsist in the soul 
without spiritual food. 

Matt. xxvi. 29. But I say unto you, I will not drink 
henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I 
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 

John vi. 33. The bread of God is he which cometh 
down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34. 
Then said they unto him, Lord evermore, give us this 

7 



110 BEVANS' VIEW. 

bread. 35. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of 
life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he 
that believeth on me, shall never thirst. 51. I am the 
living bread, which came down from heaven : if any man 
eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that 
I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the 
world. 53. Verily, verily I say unto you, Except ye eat 
the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have 
no life in you. 54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh 
my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the 
last day. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood 
is drink indeed. 56. He that eateth my flesh, and drink- 
eth my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 

Rev. iii. 20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : 
if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come 
in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 22. 
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith 
unto the churches. 



FINIS. 



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